A Ghost From the Past
by tempomental
Summary: School's out, Master Fu is dying, and the responsibility of the Miraculous Box falls fully on Marinette's shoulders. Ever the multi-tasker, she's sure she can balance being the Guardian with the rest of her life, but a new menace arrives and tests her resolve. With the fate of the world in her hands, it's a wonder she has time for two boys who seem determined to make her blush...
1. I Just Wanted Normal

_Time._

_For over one-hundred fifty years, I've been patient. I've studied the secrets of the old Masters. I've learned the alchemy of the mages. I've devoted myself to becoming the best Scholar I could be. I've created things that have only been whispered about in legend._

_I've waited for this moment. To reclaim my rightful place as the true Guardian and continue the traditions of the Order that were lost so many years ago. To recover the lost Miraculous. To keep the world safe._

_I've honed my body as well as my mind. I was a great Warrior in my youth. My reflexes may be slower, but I will still put myself up against anybody in the world and win. Nothing - or nobody - will be able to stand in my way._

_The rumors are true: the Miracle Box is in Paris. Half a world away, but within reach. Six of the seven core Miraculous, including one of the missing ones, within my easy grasp. My ally has been in place long enough. I'm already winning, and the battle has not yet even begun!_

_It's time._

"A one-way ticket to Paris, please. Next departure."

* * *

"_I LOVE UNICORNS! I LOOOOOVE UNICORRRRRRRNNNSSSSSSSS!_"

The final guitar chord rang through the air. "All right! That was awesome!" Rose squealed into the microphone, jumping up and down. "Guys, I really think we have something special here!"

"Arr, ye think you've got something special here, aye? You should go into the Paris Battle of the Bands this year!" Anarka Couffaine climbed onto the deck of her houseboat, brandishing a flyer. "It's in one month, and you'll have to have three songs for it. That song about unicorns is fantastic, but ye're gonna need something else to really get their attention. Jagged Stone is hosting it!"

Luka's eyes grew wide. "Wow, Jagged Stone? That's awesome! That would be a lot of exposure for us. And we'd get to meet him! I've been a Jagged Stone fan for a long time!"

"Yeah, that would be great! Marinette said that he was really nice when she met him," Rose enthused.

"Wait, what? Marinette's met Jagged Stone?"

"Oh, yeah! She designed the cover for his last album, didn't you know that? And then her dad was on that reality show with him at their bakery!"

"I can't believe she showed up at school the next day, I would have been mortified if all of Paris saw pictures of _Adrien Agreste_ tacked up on my bedroom walls," Juleka chuckled. "No offense, Adrien."

Adrien smiled and put his hands in his pockets. "None taken! We talked about it at our lockers the next morning. She told me that she had the photographs because she was really into fashion, and that she was a big fan of mine. That's all."

Rose and Juleka rolled their eyes. _That girl_, the look said.

"Wow, that's amazing." Luka played a bright riff on his guitar. _And I guess I read her wrong at the ice rink. If she's just a fan of Adrien, then maybe there's room for me after all._ "We should definitely keep working on some songs. And if Marinette knows Jagged Stone, maybe she can tell us what he likes, so we have an advantage! Rose, do you have any more lyrics?" He strummed his guitar a few times.

"You bet! I've got a whole bunch!"

"One, two…" Ivan started a beat and Luka and Juleka joined in on guitar.

"_PUPPIESSSSSSSSSS… PUPPIIIIIIIIIIESSSSSS…_"

* * *

Marinette sneezed.

"Thanks, honey, for helping us put away all this flour," Tom said. "Look at my little girl, stronger than ever! You're going to be picking up cars before you know it!" He made a show of flexing and showing off his giant arms.

"Thanks, Dad," Marinette giggled. _I actually threw a car at an akuma a while back, but he doesn't need to know that. _"The only thing I want to lift right now is a giant bottle of bubble bath. If it's okay with you…?"

"We're done down here, honey. Thanks again!" Tom waved as Marinette went up the stairs to the apartment.

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out of her pocket to check the alert.

**[Rose]** **Hey Marinette, it's Rose. Can you help out the band today?**

**[Marinette] Need a roadie again? Lol**

**[Rose] Not this time, haha. Battle of the bands coming up in a month. Need an image consultant. You interested?**

**[Marinette] Sure! I'm getting cleaned up from the bakery but can be there in an hour. Will that work?**

**[Rose] Sure, see you on the houseboat then! Thanks! 3 3 3**

Marinette put her phone back in her pocket. _So much for that bubble bath… but I can at least look presentable for Adrien! Right now between the flour and my mascara, I probably look like a panda._

* * *

Freshly showered and dressed, Marinette arrived at the houseboat to find the band members down in the living room. Adrien, Juleka, and Rose were engaged in conversation, while Ivan was texting away on his phone. Luka was lounging on the couch with his feet up on the table.

"Hey, Marinette!" Luka said. "We're glad you could come."

"Hi, everyone! How can I help? Rose said something about an image consultant?"

"YES!" Rose squeaked. "The-winner-of-the-contest-gets-to-meet-JAGGED-STONE!" she said breathlessly, so quickly that Marinette almost missed it.

"What Rose is _trying_ to say," laughed Adrien, "is since you've met Jagged Stone, and have done some work for him in the past, you could be our secret weapon into knowing what he likes and how we can look our best for him. He's hosting the battle of the bands."

"I still can't believe you met Jagged Stone," enthused Luka. "How did that happen?"

"Oh, it was entirely by accident. We were having a work day at Chloe's dad's hotel, and I got stuck with go-fer duty. Jagged Stone checked in to the hotel and wanted some sunglasses. I had to make them since what he wanted didn't exist, and he liked them and wore them to his show that night! Let's see… that was Pixelator. Then, his management wanted him to do an album that was so far off of his style, he flipped out and got akumatized over it - Guitar Villain. Anyway, I wound up doing his album cover in the way that he wanted it done, and he really liked it! He's been like one of those fun uncles ever since. Even though he did take a TV camera into my bedroom for the Troublemaker incident."

"Wow, Marinette, you are _definitely_ hanging around Alya too much if you are relating events in your life to akuma attacks," Rose laughed. "I mean, who else would do that? Let's see, there's Alya… now you… I wonder if Ladybug and Chat Noir do the same thing?"

"Probably," muttered Adrien and Marinette in unison, looking at the ground.

"Anyway… that's great that you have such a good relationship with him, Marinette! So what kind of stuff does he like?" Luka leaned forward in his seat, eyes focused on the designer.

Marinette started counting on her fingers. "Well, he _loves_ his crocodile, Fang. He's super-sweet. Things that he likes he calls 'rock-and-roll'. He just likes having fun. When I was working on his album cover, he described himself as 'raw and impulsive'. I guess I can't argue with the source himself!"

"Do you think you can come up with something raw and impulsive for us, Marinette?" He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled.

"Yes, absolutely! I've been itching to get my hands on a project since school let out last week and I don't have a lot to do. This will be perfect! I'll need to get your measurements and start sketching. One month is plenty of time. Why don't you all come over to the bakery tomorrow and I'll get out the tape measure?"

"That sounds perfect," chorused Luka and Rose.

Adrien checked his phone and frowned. "I can't, sorry… Father has me on a photo shoot in Provence for the next three days."

"That's OK, Adrien, I have your measurements already," Marinette said automatically. She looked up and saw four pairs of eyes trained on her. "Oh, hi! Um. What I mean to say is, they're online! Fashion designers get models' measurements online all the time so they can practice designing for different people and since I'm interested in fashion and certainly not Adrien specifically - ha ha - then that's what I do!" _I really need to bring Alya with me just so she can help reel me in. That was a disaster!_ "So… Luka, Rose, Juleka, and Ivan tomorrow? How about just after lunch?"

"It's a deal," Luka smiled. He stood up and stretched. "See you there!"

* * *

Back in her room, Marinette and Tikki were commiserating over a plate of cookies.

"Tikki, I don't understand why I can't make it through one conversation with that boy! Am I doomed to be 'just friends' with every boy in my life? I wish romance came as naturally to me as fashion design does." She sighed and flopped down on her chaise.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Marinette! You're still young… plenty of other fifteen-year-olds haven't had boyfriends, you know! And besides, who's to say that you can't have one of your 'friends' be your boyfriend?" _Like Adrien._

"My friends don't like me in that way, though! And everybody's taken, anyway. Nino has Alya, Ivan has Mylene, Kim has Ondine, Max is… Max. I've got a better chance with freaking _Chat Noir_ of all people, but that's just because he's the only boy I've ever told I was in love with!"

"You could be onto something, you know…" _More than you realize!_

"Be serious, Tikki! Ladybug and Chat Noir, maybe, sure… I know he's sincere, at least... but _Marinette_ out on the town with Chat? Forget it! We'd be a walking akuma target! Probably even more than we are as superheroes! I just want something… _normal_. Is that too much to ask?"

Tikki giggled. "If you want normal, Marinette, don't look out your window."

Not for the first time, Marinette didn't take Tikki's advice. She looked up and saw a little green figure hovering outside, waving to her. Startled, Marinette quickly stood and motioned for the kwami to enter.

"Wayzz? What are you doing here?" Marinette asked after he phased through the window. "Is Master Fu sick again?" _Or does he need me to pick up another prescription?_

"Hello, Marinette, no, nothing that dire this time. It is still rather serious. Master Fu requires your presence. Are you able to come tonight at nine o'clock?"

"Nine tonight… sure, I can do that. What's the occasion?"

"I'm afraid I can't say right now. The Guardian will explain tonight when you arrive. It is good to have seen you again, Marinette." As abruptly as he entered, Wayzz phased through the window and disappeared.

"Huh. What do you think _that_ was for, Tikki?" _Must be serious Miraculous business, since Wayzz referred to Master Fu as "the Guardian". Maybe I'm getting a potion refill since we've used our ice and water forms recently..._

Tikki smiled and said nothing. _I have a good idea what this is for, and if I'm right, your summer isn't going to be as easy and carefree as you would like it to be._

* * *

Nathalie was standing in the foyer of the Agreste mansion with three suitcases. "We'll be taking the TGV to Aix-en-Provence, then our representative will meet us at the station and drive us to the shoot location. There will be some evening shots taken directly tonight, then it will be rest at the hotel until early tomorrow morning for the sunrise shots. We leave in ten minutes."

"Very good, Nathalie. I'll want to use the downtime on the train to dictate a few memos." He felt a twinge under his cravat and looked at it wistfully. _If only we weren't on such a tight schedule… I was able to delay a train once, but Nathalie would kill me if I threw a schedule off this much. This is why I only left the house twice since I started this whole endeavor! I can't afford to miss any opportunity… but it looks like in this case I won't have much choice. I'm sorry, Emilie… I'll just have to make sure I'm able to take advantage of it next time._


	2. Of Scorpions and Guardians

The man and woman were standing in a garden courtyard. It was dark, with a slight breeze cooling the warm summer night.

"It's good to see you, after so long," the man said.

"I wish I could say likewise, old friend." She put her hands on his face and smiled. "Still the same person, I can tell. I trust your visit here is a business trip?"

"Business _and_ pleasure, this time. Everything is in place, and soon honor will be restored to our house. Here, I have something for you." He took her left hand and clasped a bracelet on her wrist. A bright yellow light appeared, and a small figure materialized in the air. It was about four inches tall, with a red bulbous head, scaled body, black eyes, and a yellow chest that extended down the inside of its legs. A red scorpion tail with a sharp stinger trailed behind the being.

"I am Namma," the newcomer introduced himself. "I am the kwami of Vengeance."

"Hello, Namma." The woman reached out and the kwami alighted in her hand. "I feel that we are going to work very well together." Her smile widened and she addressed her visitor. "What is your plan?"

* * *

Marinette crept out from the alley where she had de-transformed and made her way up to Master Fu's massage parlor. She knocked three times at the door and waited. _I wonder what was so important that I had to come over. Usually I only visit Master Fu when the Lucky Charm tells me to._

Master Fu opened the door. "Come in, Marinette. Thank you for coming on relatively short notice. Please, have a seat."

"Of course, Master. What can I do for you? Are you ill again?"

"No, Marinette, nothing so serious as that," the Guardian chuckled. "But it does have something to do with your last visit. Please, sit down." He motioned to the mat on the floor, where Marinette sat down cross-legged. Fu sat down across from her.

"Marinette, do you remember what I said when you were over here last?"

"Yes, you wanted me to take care of the Miracle Box if anything happened to you. Is… something happening to you, Master?"

"I am almost two hundred years old, Marinette. Part of the magic of the Miraculous is that the Miracle Box will protect and prolong the life of the current Guardian. I've been very lucky; since I am the last of the Order of the Guardians, the Miracle Box has helped sustain me. But that magic was never meant to last this long. Usually, Guardians are only in service for no more than fifty years. One is then chosen from the rising class of students, and the magic transfers to him or her as soon as they are identified.

"Marinette, when I told you to take care of the Miracle Box, it recognized me as choosing you to be the new Guardian. I can already feel the magic beginning to leave my body and protecting you now. But this means that I have to train you very quickly in what it means to be a member of the Order of the Guardians. Usually this is something learned over years of study. I may not have years to teach you. I may not have months, or even weeks. It's vital for me to instruct you as much as possible, beginning tonight."

"Master - are you... are you _dying_?" Marinette gasped, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm not sure I can be Ladybug without your guidance! What will we do?"

"Do not cry, Marinette. This is a part of the natural cycle of life. You are still young and have much to learn in that regard. As for your abilities as Ladybug, you are easily the most talented host for Tikki that I have ever known. I am not worried. Part of the things I will teach you will be how to read the grimoire that you found, so you can learn as much about the Miraculous as possible. Between that and the oral history that must be passed down to you, you should do very well until it's time to pass the legacy to the next Guardian."

Tikki and Wayzz flew over and alighted on Marinette's shaking shoulders. Tikki reassured her, "Marinette, Master Fu is the seventy-eighth Guardian of the Miraculous. He will be special to you because he was the Guardian who introduced you to the secrets of the Miraculous, but in the end he will be only one in a long line of Guardians… as you will be. The concepts behind the Miraculous are eternal, and have been known on Earth for over 5,000 years. It will be your job to ensure that those concepts, knowledge, and traditions are not lost."

"H-H-How much time do we have, Master?" Marinette hiccuped through her tears.

"We will start tonight, Marinette. I won't be able to teach you the full curriculum of the Order, but I will begin by filling you in on some of the basics. We will meet here three nights a week. Now, it is urgent that you pay attention. Would you like some tea?" He offered her a mug of steaming liquid.

Marinette dried her eyes, took the mug, and sipped its contents. _I wonder if one of the things I'll be learning is what's in this tea. I feel better already._ "Thanks, Master. Let's get started."

* * *

Adrien yawned and stretched in his hotel room. Plagg was resting on his pillow, eating cheese. "A vacation should do you good! You rarely get to go other places, so why don't you spend some time relaxing? I think that trip to London was the first time you've been out of Paris in years!"

"You're right, Plagg." Adrien flopped backward on his bed. "I know I'm here for work, but who says I can't make the most of it?"

"That's the spirit! Now just lay back, relax, watch some TV, and let everybody else take care of any problems!" He popped another wedge of cheese in his mouth.

Adrien closed his eyes and settled into a pillow. _I can't shake this feeling that I forgot something._ He gradually relaxed, letting the knots in his muscles slowly work themselves out. As he drifted off to sleep, a bolt of lightning struck in his mind. He sat up abruptly, knocking his kwami over the side of the bed.

"Hey!" Plagg protested, floating lazily back to the pillow. "What was _that _for?"

"_I never told Ladybug I wasn't going to be in town!_ She's going to kill me! Can you get a message to her, Plagg?"

"Only if she's transformed, kid. Kwamis don't come with voicemail, I'm afraid."

"Crap-_crap_-_CRAP!_ _CLAWS OU_-!"

"_WAIT!_ If you send her a message now, she'll be able to figure out where you are, and that could turn into a major secret identity breach." _Especially since she knows you outside the mask, and knows where your secret identity is going to be._ "Just say you were sick or something and couldn't transform. It's too late to do anything now, and you'll be back in a couple of days anyway. Just relax, things will work out."

"I don't like it, Plagg. It doesn't seem very responsible," sulked Adrien.

"I tell you, everything is going to be _fine_. Besides, the last time you went away for a bit, there weren't any akumas!"

"..._After_ we left the train station, Plagg."

"Right! So, you've left the train station, there won't be any akumas! C'mon now, go back to sleep. You're such a _cat_ sometimes. Something startles you, and you get your hackles up over nothing."

"Takes one to know one," Adrien mumbled without humor. Nevertheless, he laid back down and let sleep overtake him.

* * *

"Each kwami represents an abstract concept, Marinette. Creation, Destruction, Subjection, Deception, Protection, Generosity, Passion, and so on. Tikki is of course the kwami of Creation, and Chat Noir's kwami is the kwami of Destruction. Wayzz is the kwami of Protection."

"So there are a bunch of kwamis out there floating around? How come we can't see them?"

"The Miraculous acts as a link between kwamis and the physical world. Each kwami is bound to their Miraculous."

"So without a Miraculous, we can't interact with kwamis, then. Right?"

"You are catching on quickly, Marinette," Master Fu said with a gleam in his eye.

"But there aren't just -" Marinette did some quick mental math "- nineteen abstract concepts in the world. Where are the other kwamis?"

"There are more kwamis, but the secrets of the mage who created the Miraculous have been lost to the ages. It's extremely unlikely that we will meet more kwamis. Guardians aren't well-versed in mage lore, unfortunately. When candidates for Guardians are chosen, they are educated in one of two areas: Scholar, or Warrior. Each learn the general secrets of the Miraculous, but Warriors study fighting disciplines while Scholars learn academic pursuits. Each learns a little of the other, but your main focus is determined very early in your time at the temple."

"Which one were you, Master?"

Master Fu smiled and held up his wrist, showcasing the Turtle Miraculous. "Guardians who were Scholars were generally given more defensive Miraculous, as that suited their personalities more. I've been with Wayzz ever since I was forced to flee Tibet after the destruction of the Temple."

"Tell me more about that, Master," Marinette prompted.

The old man looked at the ground. "That's… not part of what I need to teach you. Maybe some other time." A pregnant pause fell in the room. "We are going to teach you out of the grimoire you recovered a few months ago. You will learn how to decipher it and tap its secrets. You will learn the history of the Miraculous. You will learn how to make the potions that will power up the kwamis." He scrolled to a page on his tablet. "You know what? Let's get you started there, since you'll probably need to make more after your recent adventures."

* * *

The woman ran her fingers over the bracelet. "Tell me how it works."

"The invocation for your kwami's power is _stinger up_."

"Very well, then. Namma, _stinger up!_"

A yellow light enveloped the woman as Namma was absorbed into the bracelet. When the light faded, there stood a female figure dressed in a scarlet bodysuit, with a yellow patch on her chest that extended down the inside of her thighs to her feet. Her head, except for her nose and mouth, were covered in a full scarlet mask, with sleek yellow goggles over her eyes. A black hood and floor-length cape completed the costume. In her right hand, she held a three-foot-long _was_ sceptre, with a forked bottom and a snake's head on the top.

The man admired his creation. "Very nice, if I do say so myself. How do you feel?"

"My senses have all been augmented, even more so than usual. The power is coursing through my veins! Namma is the kwami of Vengeance, he said? I feel it - this rage - it's an undercurrent through all my emotions, driving me forward and pushing me… I feel like I can take on the world, and easily win!" As if to demonstrate, she walked over to the flowerbed, picked up a stone, and crushed it in her hand.

"That is impressive. Let us not let your power go to waste just yet. There is much to do before we begin our final campaign. The detransformation phrase is _stinger down_."

The woman smiled dangerously. "Who says I want to detransform?"

"Ahh, yes, you are letting the feelings of vengeance take over. Patience, old friend. The world will see you very soon."

The woman smirked.

* * *

"Master! Master!" Wayzz zoomed into the kitchen, where Master Fu and Marinette were gathering ingredients.

Fu closed his tablet and turned his body to shield the contents of his cupboard from the kwami's view. "Wayzz! How many times have I told you that you cannot know the recipes from the grimoire?!"

"I know, Master. I'm sorry. But - it is urgent that we speak now. I felt an aura, similar to what I felt when the Butterfly Miraculous was activated."

Master Fu slammed his cupboard door shut and ran to the old gramophone on his credenza. Pressing the buttons to unlock it, he retrieved the Miracle Box and set it on the ground, flipping it open to examine its contents. "Hmm… all of the Miraculous that are supposed to be here are here, and the box does not appear to be compromised in any way." He picked up each Miraculous and studied them in turn. "These are all authentic. Wayzz, are you certain of your feeling?"

"Yes, Master. It was brief - maybe a few minutes at most. But I could certainly tell that it was a Miraculous being activated."

"And not the Butterfly Miraculous?" Fu demanded.

"No, I'm attuned to how that feels. This was definitely not the Butterfly," Wayzz answered.

"I see. This is a very curious development. Marinette, what do you think of this?"

"Master, you are far more experienced than me when it comes to these sorts of things. I'm not sure I can offer -"

"Marinette. You have been chosen to be the next Guardian. Your opinion is very valuable, whether you realize it or not. Now, please answer my question," Master Fu admonished.

"The Peacock Miraculous is missing... could it have been that, Wayzz?"

"I'm afraid not, Marinette. Duusu and I have developed an affinity over the centuries of our existence. I would have recognized her immediately."

"Hmm... Master Fu, you saw all the Miraculous there, but we can't see the kwamis because they're in the Miracle Box. I remember that from Sandboy, the nightmare akuma. Is there a way someone could have created a second Miraculous for one of the kwamis in there?"

"That's a very good question, Marinette. Kwamis can only be bound to one Miraculous, and the bond can only be severed if the original Miraculous is destroyed."

"So that means we don't have to sit here and try on each Miraculous in order to summon its kwami, then," Marinette reflected, picking up the Tiger Miraculous and holding it up to the light.

"That time will come, Marinette. You'll need to be familiar with each kwami's personality and powers. As I'm sure you're aware, not every kwami is like Tikki. Some kwamis are more suited for certain people than others. Can you imagine if the avatar of Passion was guiding you through your teen years?"

Marinette shuddered. Tikki gave a derisive snort. _As if anyone other than *me* could do a better job!_

"Please, continue with your analysis of the situation at hand," Master Fu smiled.

"Well, if kwamis can only be with one Miraculous, and all the Miraculous are here, _and_ Wayzz felt an aura of a Miraculous… then it must mean that a new Miraculous has been created!"

"I wouldn't use the word _must_ without being absolutely sure, Marinette, but at this point it does seem like a possibility. Another possibility is that Wayzz was mistaken - and I'm not saying that he was, only that it was a possibility. We need to examine all possibilities and tread very carefully in order to not jump to conclusions."

"Will Wayzz be able to sense the aura if the Miraculous is activated again?"

"Yes, he will. He won't be able to pinpoint the location, but I think it's safe to say that it's reasonably close, since kwamis can generally only sense things nearby. Say, within Paris or the surrounding area."

"We'll have to keep our eyes out and be careful, Master."

"Indeed, Marinette. Now, let us get back to the potion. I believe you have used your water and ice forms the most, so let's start with those." He replaced the Miracle Box in the phonograph and the pair walked back to the kitchen.

* * *

(h/t to dfcfanfics' "Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright" which inspired which Miraculous Marinette examines over at Master Fu's and the ensuing dialogue)


	3. The Music of My Heart

The ringing of Marinette's alarm matched the ringing in her ears. _That was a lot to cover in one night - I'm glad we're only meeting three nights a week, because if I had to do that again tonight, I think my brain would burst. Let's see - we covered kwamis and their Miraculous, potion making, and reviewed infusing things with the potion._ The girl groaned and turned off her alarm. Sitting up and stretching, she yawned, "Tikki, is there going to be a test on this?"

"Only the rest of your life, Marinette! Isn't this exciting?" The kwami beamed. "There's never been a Ladybug Guardian before! You'll be the first ever!"

"No pressure there, nope…" Marinette sighed. "Remember how I said I wanted something normal last night? This was not what I had in mind." She shifted out of her bed and began to make her way downstairs.

"I think 'normal' is coming over this afternoon, right? Or how did they put it yesterday…? _Raw and impulsive_, I think it was," the kwami teased.

Marinette groaned again and opened the door to the kitchen below. _I have *got* to learn to say no to people._

* * *

Gabriel sat at his desk, reviewing proofs from the previous night's photo shoot. _We were lucky to make it to the set for the Golden Hour - the way the colors reflect off Adrien's hair is magnificent. We won't have to redo any of these shots, and we can get back to Paris sooner rather than later._ As if on cue, he felt another twinge from the Miraculous hidden underneath his cravat. _I'll make it up to you, Emilie… when I get back to Paris, Ladybug and Chat Noir aren't going to know what hit them!_

* * *

"How did you sleep, honey?" Sabine asked, pouring Marinette a cup of orange juice. "It's summer, so you can't be as busy as you normally are, right?"

"I did okay, but I think I'm going to be very busy these next few weeks, at least. You remember my friends' band, right?"

"Of course I do! Didn't they win the Loudest Band award at the music festival?"

"Something like that," Marinette laughed. "Anyway, there's a battle of the bands coming up in a month, and they've asked me to be an image consultant for them. Jagged Stone is going to be hosting the contest, so since I've done work for him before, the band wants my professional opinion."

"That's wonderful, honey! Just be careful about bringing Jagged Stone around the bakery again. I don't think your father has gotten over his last visit yet." Sabine sipped her coffee and winked.

"Don't worry about it, Mom. Today it's just the band. I've gotta get started sketching some preliminary ideas so I can show them when they come over after lunch." She grabbed a chocolate croissant, quickly drained her glass, and made to leave the table.

"Is that boy you like coming over today?"

Marinette choked on her juice. Sabine whacked her on the back until she was sure her daughter was breathing again.

"Um… the boy I like?"

"You know, the one in the band! The one you went ice skating with a while back. Tall and handsome? Does any of that ring a bell?"

"Oh… him! Ha… um… you know, I know that some people can't make it today. We'll just have to see who shows up!" Marinette sprinted up the stairs to her room before her mother could ask any more questions. Once the trap door closed behind her, Marinette whipped out her phone.

**[Marinette] Help! Can you be at my house after lunch? Or maybe even before lunch? I've got a serious crisis situation going on here**

She ate the croissant in three bites, staring at her screen. When the "Typing…" bubble came up, Marinette grabbed the phone with both hands and held it up to her nose, willing the sender to type faster. _Come on come on come onnnn!_

**[Alya] I can make it at five, have to watch the girls until then since Nora's not here and parents are working. Sry girl. Can text tho if u need me to**

* * *

In a house on the other side of Paris, two people were also enjoying a breakfast together.

"Peaches and cream? You shouldn't have," the man said.

"You haven't changed one bit," the woman teased in return. "I know you've always had a soft spot in your heart - and your stomach - for peaches."

"Indeed. One could say they keep me going," he chuckled.

They passed the next few minutes in companionable silence.

"We will begin phase one of the plan tonight, if you feel you are ready."

"I am ready," the woman confirmed.

"Good. Let's start at dusk."

* * *

Marinette sighed and sat down at her desk.

**[Marinette] Thx where do I start? So the band is coming over for wardrobe consultation and measurement this afternoon**

**[Alya] i fail to see the prob - need Adrien's pics taken down again? ;-)**

**[Marinette] ha ha no everybody knows about them now, no point**

**[Marinette] and Adrien's not coming anyway he's out of town**

**[Alya] right, Nino told me that. photoshoot. still i don't see the prob here. what's up?**

**[Marinette] mom thinks I like Luka**

A pause, then:

**[Alya] u do like Luka**

Marinette boggled at her screen, then furiously started mashing the phone with her thumbs.

**[Marinette] WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT**

**[Alya] sure ever since we were on the boat that one time. capt hardrock. it was clear u only had eyes for him. girl your compass was spinning and it wasn't to our blond sunshine boy**

**[Alya] plus u went on a date w him already**

**[Alya] didn't u tell me he literally swept u off your feet? ;))))**

**[Alya] AND that u kissed him? :-******

All efforts at grammar and coherency left Marinette as her brain started slowly switching off. _How could Alya be doing this to me?_

**[Marinette] NOT HELPING**

**[Marinette] u r supposed to b telling me that adrien is the 1 for me and i need to focus on him :(**

**[Alya] girl i'm just telling u things u should already know by now. brb, girls up to sthg…**

Marinette started texting back, and stopped. She typed something else, and erased that too. Defeated, she put her head on her desk and groaned. "Tikki, why do things have to be so complicated?"

"Marinette, weren't you just complaining that you were doomed to be 'just friends' with every boy you came in contact with? It sounds like you're more than 'just friends' with Luka -_ let me finish, please!_ \- so why don't you see if there's anything there? Worst case scenario is you get some practice for your dream date with Adrien; at best you'll have a good time and maybe cross having a boyfriend off of your bucket list!"

Marinette's retort was interrupted by the alert on her phone.

**[Alya] gtg sry… just see what happens girl, u got this**

_"Why is everyone giving me the same advice?!"_ Marinette yelled to nobody in particular. She tossed her phone aside and slid her sketchbook in front of her and began angrily sketching designs.

* * *

A few hours later, with the only interruption being her mother bringing her a sandwich and fruit, Marinette set her sketchbook aside.

"Honey!" Sabine called from downstairs. "Your friends are here! Should I send them up?"

"Yes, please!" Marinette yelled back. She swiveled on her chair and turned to face Juleka, Rose, Ivan, and Luka as they came one-by-one into her room. Luka was carrying his guitar. "Hey, guys! Glad you could come! I hope you like what I have so far!"

"This is going to be _amazing!_" Rose squealed. She sat down on the chaise and pulled Juleka down next to her. Ivan and Luka each sat on the floor. Ivan immediately pulled out his phone and began tapping the screen.

"So, here's what I was thinking…" Marinette turned the pages in the sketchbook to her first design, and flipped it around to show the assembled group.

"WOW!" exclaimed Juleka.

"Wait, there's more," Marinette grinned, flipping to the next page.

"You definitely nailed 'raw and impulsive', Marinette." Luka scooted forward to get a closer look. He looked at her and smiled. "These are amazing designs. I wish I had half of your talent."

Marinette flushed and flipped to the next page. "Uhh… thanks! You're pretty talented yourself, you know. Don't sell yourself short! I can't even play an instrument."

"Do you want to learn? I'll teach you how to play guitar," Luka offered. He played a couple of chords. "I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time."

"He's good, he taught me," Juleka confirmed.

"Oh, um… sure! That sounds nice!" She closed her sketchbook and stood up. "Let me get all of your measurements real quick, and then we can talk more about these designs." Producing a measuring tape seemingly from out of nowhere, she asked, "OK, who's first?"

Rose bounded up. Marinette began holding the measuring tape up to her friend, and started jotting numbers down. "OK, that's great… turn… hold still just like that for one more second please… great. You're done, thanks!"

After Rose, Juleka and Ivan took their turns to be measured. Throughout the whole process, Luka sat on the ground, picking a melody on his guitar as he watched. It took Ivan a bit longer to be measured since he insisted on staring at his phone the entire time. _Must be an important conversation with Mylene_, Marinette thought idly.

When Ivan was done, he sat back down without a word and Marinette motioned for Luka to stand up. "Last but not least," she smiled. Luka stood up, handed his guitar to Juleka, and walked over to Marinette.

"How do I do this? I've never been measured for anything before."

"Oh, it's simple, really. Just stand there with your feet about shoulder-width apart, and relax. I'll tell you if you need to move. Hands at your sides for now, thanks." She put the end of the measuring tape on his shoulder and ran it down to the tips of his fingers, noting where his elbow and wrist were. After writing the three numbers down, she asked, "What was that you were playing earlier? I really liked it!" She moved behind him and put the end of the measuring tape on the back of his neck.

"I'm glad you like it, Marinette. You know… I'm kind of embarrassed to mention it, but remember when we were at the ice rink and I mentioned I thought I had a brand new song to write? Turns out I did after all."

Marinette completed the measurement and wrote another number down. "Wow, that's amazing! Arms out, please. Does it have a name?" She placed the measuring tape across his shoulders.

"I'm thinking of calling it _Ice Princess_, actually." He peeked over his shoulder at her. "What do you think?"

Marinette dropped the measuring tape. Picking it up quickly, she stammered, "Um, yeah! That's a good title! But maybe a bit, um, cold? That sounded more like a... " Her voice dropped. "...love song," she said slowly. She measured his shoulders and then stepped in front of him, wrapping the measuring tape around his chest.

"A love song, huh?" He chuckled. "It could be a love song, sure. I haven't decided yet. You think it could be?"

Marinette finished measuring his chest and dropped the measuring tape to his waist. Blushing, she said quietly, "Maybe. Does… does it have any words?" Not looking him in the eye, she got her measurement, then wrote the three numbers down.

"I'm not really good with words, Marinette. Music is the best way I know how to express myself. To be honest, I feel naked without my guitar."

She gulped and knelt down to measure from his hip to the floor. "Naked? You don't say," she babbled.

"Sure! I bet you feel the same way without your sketchbook and a pencil. Am I right? Like you're not complete, or that you're missing something. I guess that's the same thing, though. I told you, I'm not good at words." He looked down and smiled at her.

"I… um… yeah, I guess you could say that," she noted the number on her paper.

"I don't like that feeling. I like feeling complete. Like there's nothing else I need, you know? My brain tells me that all I need for that is my guitar, but my heart told me something different recently."

Marinette looked up at Luka's face and softly asked, "What's that?"

"My heart told me that with just my guitar, I'm still missing something. I need someone to share my life's music with. My hopes, my dreams, or maybe just my lazy Saturday afternoons. Have you ever felt that?"

Marinette nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Rose and Juleka holding hands and listening intently.

"Have you ever felt so comfortable with a person that you could just tell them anything and know they'll be OK with it? I don't mean bad stuff, I mean really opening up with your fears. Your insecurities. What keeps you up at night, and what keeps you going during the day. Sure, it's easy to sit there and crush on someone and imagine your 'happily ever after'… but that's just a crush. I want to love somebody, and I want somebody to love me."

Rose squeaked quietly.

"I thought you said you weren't good with words," Marinette gently teased.

"I'm not."

"But… all that…"

"That wasn't words, Marinette. That was music. My heart's music. Maybe your heart has a song, too."

Marinette looked in Luka's eyes and blinked. _My heart's music… I thought that my heart was a one-note symphony of puppies and hamsters whenever I thought about Adrien, but… what he said just now made a lot of sense. What if Adrien's just a crush? What if I never get comfortable enough around him to open up like that? Sure, I'm his friend, and he needs friends… but what if he needs something more than what I can give him right now? I'm sure he wouldn't have lots of fun listening to me stammer and stutter around him for the rest of our lives. He deserves more than that._

_Maybe what Tikki and Alya said is true: At worst, I get some practice actually talking to a boy, and at best, I get a boyfriend! I've crushed on Adrien for months now, and I know what it's like to have boys crush on me, but I've never had anything beyond that. Maybe this is my chance right here._

She stood up and smiled. "I think it does, Luka." She reached out and put her hand on his arm.

He smiled back. "I'm glad. Now, about that guitar lesson… will this Friday night work?"

Marinette mentally checked her schedule. _If today's Tuesday, then… no, wait, I'll probably be at Master Fu's on Friday night._ "I'm booked then. Family stuff. Saturday afternoon?"

"It's a date! I'll meet you here at three."

"Perfect, one lazy Saturday afternoon it is. Now, in the meantime, let's talk more about the sketches…"

* * *

Coming up next:

*"Here comes the tricky part…"

*Kissing noises

*Someone makes their presence felt...


	4. When the Chat's Away

Marinette stood and watched the trap door shut on the last of her friends.

"Tikki… what just happened?"

"Well, Marinette, I _think _what just happened was you were asked on a date by a cute boy, and you said yes! Congratulations!"

"I feel bad, though!"

"Bad?! Why?" Tikki spluttered. "Marinette, this is the first time a boy asked you out - _ever._ Just because it's not the boy you _wanted_ to ask you out does not mean that you are any less valuable or that it's any less of a date! Enjoy it! You're probably not going to get a lot of time to enjoy things this summer with all the responsibility that Master Fu is giving you, so please, _please_, take the time for yourself and just - experience life as a teenager! And that's an order!"

"Yes ma'am!" Marinette giggled. "I'm glad you are watching out for me - and I don't feel bad that I was asked on a date - it's just that I gave Chat such a hard time for seemingly switching from Ladybug to Marinette at the drop of a hat… am I doing the same thing?"

_Here comes the tricky part._ "Marinette, you and Adrien are going to be friends for life. And if something happens where you become more than 'just friends' for life, then welcome that change. Embrace that change. But in the meantime, you can't spend your life waiting for him. And he's not going to spend his life waiting for you, either." _Well, he might… but that would be *Ladybug you*, and you're not ready for him to know that... yet. Once that information gets out, then things are going to get messy. Romantic Ladybug and Chat Noir is always the best combination of the two, but if we have to settle for platonic this time around, then so be it._

* * *

Adrien was sitting at the desk in his hotel room, doodling on the stationery.

"You should probably draw some flowers or something for all of those ladybugs to eat," Plagg pointed out.

"Listen, Mr. Floating Stomach, I'm worried that something's going to happen back home and I won't be there to do anything about it!" He sat up and began bouncing his leg nervously. "What if Ladybug needs me, Plagg? I should have been more responsible."

"Hey - none of that! You're going back tomorrow. What you don't need right now is to give your father any reason to delay your trip home. If something happens that Ladybug can't handle, she'll probably go visit the Guardian to get reinforcements like she's done in the past. Remember the time you were caught in that giant spider web? Or the time you were possessed by magical perfume spray? Or the time you were unconscious because you were kissed by Chameleon? Or the time when…"

"I GET IT, Plagg!" Adrien balled up the piece of paper and threw it at the kwami, who easily dodged it. "Besides, that last time, I seem to remember _someone_ trying to kiss me out of that enchanted sleep…"

Plagg flattened his ears against his head. "You still have an hour before you have to be back on set. Why don't you be more productive?"

Adrien made kissing noises at his kwami, who flew out of the room, muttering under his breath.

* * *

A knock on the trapdoor alerted Marinette to her best friend's arrival. _Finally… about four hours after I needed her! Better late than never, I guess…_ Alya popped her head through the door and before she could say anything, Marinette had grabbed her purse and started to come down. "Let's go for a walk; I've been cooped up in here all day and could use the fresh air."

"You got it, girl! Are we getting some dinner while we're out?"

"That sounds really good, actually!" The pair descended the stairs to the bakery. "Mom, Dad… just going with Alya for a bit. We'll grab something to eat while we're out."

"OK, dear, have fun!" Tom smiled and waved at Alya, who waved back.

Once the girls were outside, Marinette made an aggravated noise and pretended to collapse on the ground. "Aaaaaagh! It has been SUCH a crazy day today! I'm glad you're here."

"Girl, I just wish I could have been over here sooner. My sisters… well, let's just say that we had a repeat of the Spaghetti Incident…"

"Oh, no!" Marinette sympathized. 'I remember the last time, when…"

"Yeah, we don't talk about that. What happened with you?"

"Luka's coming over to my place for a date this Saturday," Marinette started, before quickly getting cut off.

"WHAT?! Girl, that's _fantastic!_ I know you two really hit it off at the ice rink, and I never understood why nothing came of that. Did you ask him again?"

"No, he asked me this time. I was measuring him for an outfit, and he was just so sincere and intense… I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before! He really spoke to me, though. I'm not sure what did it, but I just felt a click with him that I haven't felt with anyone else!"

"Whoa, slow down, girl. Not even with _Adrien?_"

"Alya, you _know_ how I feel about Adrien. I love that boy to death. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to have a coherent conversation with him, though. How is he ever going to notice me as more than a friend if I can't tell him my feelings? I mean, I _kissed the boy_, Alya, and he never really responded to that! I kissed _Luka_, and he's asking me out on another date, even after I blew the first one!"

"You know, kissing boys isn't exactly the way to find out if they're interested in you. Usually that stuff happens the other way around," Alya teased. "Ow, that hurt! Anyway, I think it's a good thing that you're going out with Luka. How many days do we have to strategize?"

"Three. And _why_ do you say it's a good thing?"

"We are going to spend some time going over outfits and game plans… although to be fair, girl, I don't think we need to worry about you going completely off the rails with Luka like you would with Adrien."

"What do you mean, _go off the rails?"_ Marinette demanded.

Alya ignored her. "And I think it's a good thing that you're giving someone other than Adrien a chance. Dating someone outside of our usual circle of friends is probably going to be really good for you. Think about it… if you are dating someone we all know, and it doesn't work out, it could get really awkward. With Luka, if something goes wrong, the band might lose its image consultant, but that's really the worst of it!"

* * *

As they exited the photographer's studio, Gabriel pulled Nathalie aside. "I've reviewed the proofs and we have everything we need. Reschedule the train home for tonight, please."

Nathalie pulled out her tablet. "Are you sure, sir? I would hate for something to not turn out right and us have to come back."

Her employer bristled. "Tonight, please," he repeated tersely.

"Understood, sir." She swiped on her tablet and hummed. "It appears that the first available train back to Paris leaves at 5:00 tomorrow morning. I'll book three seats and arrange for car service to the station. I hope that's acceptable, sir."

Gabriel grumbled an affirmative.

"You know, sir… if I may say something… the change of scenery is doing Adrien well. He might benefit from the extra few hours here in the countryside. Why don't you spend some time with him, if neither of you will be working? He adores eating meals with you; how about dinner or a dessert at a cafe tonight?"

Gabriel shot her a sideways glance.

"Plus, you're clearly not working on your… second job… tonight, so… maybe you can relax a bit. Take advantage of a night off, for the first time in the past year."

He paused and looked at his assistant as if she were speaking Martian.

Nathalie took a deep breath. "Very well, sir. I'll arrange for the car service early tomorrow morning, then." She turned to continue the walk to the hotel.

"Nathalie… wait. What… what kind of desserts does he like?"

* * *

After a hearty dinner and heartier laughs at the cafe, Marinette and Alya sat down on the stairs at the Trocadero facing the Eiffel Tower, watching the sky fade from blue, to pink, to black as the sun set..

"You know, Alya, I was thinking about what you said earlier. I'm glad I'm giving Luka a chance. I can't imagine dating someone I'm already friends with… it would be too weird."

"Weird, in what way?"

"Well, if something happens, then I won't be able to be friends with them anymore! And I'd really hate to mess up anyone's friendship. I mean, look at everyone we know… they all instantly… just, boom! You and Nino, Rose and Juleka, Nathaniel and Marc… who's to say that if Adrien and I haven't had that happen by now, then it might not ever happen?"

"Do you think you and Luka… um… went boom?"

"I think we're definitely getting there," Marinette confirmed.

"Let me ask you something, girl… when do you think you're supposed to become friends with your boyfriend?"

"Oh, that happens over time, since you hang out with each other all the time, right?"

"...And you can't fall in love with someone you're friends with?"

"Hmm… well… noooooo… because if you fall in love with someone it just kind of happens right there, right? I'd _know_ if I were in love with someone before I became friends with them. There's a difference between becoming friends with my boyfriend and friends with my friend-friends. Plus, the stuff I'd share with my boyfriend is stuff I wouldn't _dream_ of sharing with my friend-friends."

"Like me, right?" Alya raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"You know what I mean, Alya! We're not going to be dating anytime soon!"

Alya poked Marinette in the side. "Well, _I_, girl, am _officially offended_ that you don't think I'm good enough for - _what on Earth is THAT?!_"

* * *

A black-hooded, yellow-and-red clad figure leapt from somewhere - neither Marinette nor Alya could tell where - and landed in the center of the Pont d'Iéna. Before anyone could react, the figure pulled out a forked sceptre and began swinging wildly. The pedestrians who weren't quick enough to run out of the way found themselves clubbed down by the figure's weapon.

"_I AM SERKET!_" The figure twirled the sceptre and brandished it in front of her.

"Akuma!" Marinette and Alya cried in unison. Marinette stood up and started to race for a place to transform. She looked over her shoulder to see if the coast was clear, and saw Alya running down the steps of the Trocadero toward the bridge!

"NO, ALYA!" Marinette hesitated, looking back at her friend. _I'm closer to Alya than I am to cover right now… I've gotta stop her!_ She bolted back and grabbed her friend. "What are you _doing?_ You've gotta get out of here!"

"No way, girl!" She held her phone up and aimed it at Serket. "Ladyblog footage coming up! I've just gotta start filming and wait for the heroes to show up! Now… where's a good place to…"

She was interrupted by a _thump_ next to her. Looking up, Alya saw a hooded figure grinning at her beneath their mask.

"...hide?" Alya squeaked.

"YOU! You are the only one foolish enough to run toward me. You should listen to your friend, _girl_…"

Alya stood her ground, frozen in place with fear. Marinette's eyes darted between her purse, Alya, and Serket.

"You want to film something, do you?" Serket asked, menacingly. "I have a message that you can broadcast to everyone. _Scorpion's Sting!_"

The area between the forks on her sceptre started to glow. In the blink of an eye, Serket touched the forks to Alya's chest, causing the light on the sceptre to immediately sink into her!

The young woman screamed and fell over, twitching.

"_Chat Noir! HELP!_" Marinette yelled, searching the sky for any indication of her partner.

Serket reached down to pick up Alya's phone, fumbled with it, and aimed it at her face. "Vengeance is ours! Beware, all who stand in the way of our mission! People of Paris… await your new Guardian!" She tossed the phone in the air and turned away abruptly as a chirp sounded from her direction.

Marinette caught the phone before it could hit the ground and watched as Serket leaped away in huge bounds. She turned the phone off and stuck it in her pocket, then looked at her best friend, who was laying on the ground, convulsing.

"Alya, stay calm, I'll get you out of here!" She picked up her friend and started back toward the Musée de l'Homme. _There's gotta be a secluded area where I can transform, get a Lucky Charm, and then Miraculous Cure whatever this is away. Hang in there, Alya! Almost there…_ She ducked into a nook, set her friend down, and quickly called for her transformation. "Lucky charm!" she chanted as soon as the magic finished washing over her. Only giving the item a glance, she tossed it in the air and summoned the Miraculous Cure.

_Come on… come on…_ she watched Alya intently, eyes focused on the glowing yellow circle Serket's sceptre had left on her chest.

The circle didn't fade, and Alya didn't get better. Ladybug moved to cradle Alya's head in her lap and started stroking her hair. _What do I do? I can't take her to Master Fu's place… why didn't the Cure work? The Cure always works!_ Her earrings chirped and Ladybug started panicking. _What is going on? Where's Kitty? I need someone to talk to about this…_

Over the next few minutes, it was a race between the beeping of Ladybug's earrings, the slowly fading circle on Alya's chest, and the pounding of Ladybug's heartbeat. _I'm not even sure if the sting is actually fading or if it's just me needing everything to be alright. What is going ON here?_

After the longest fifteen minutes of Marinette's life, her friend finally came to. Alya mumbled, "What… what happened? The akuma got me, and that's the last thing I remember."

"How do you feel?" Marinette asked, leaning close to Alya's face.

"Like a brick wall was dropped on my chest. Oh, girl, it was _awful_. It was like a giant bee sting, but I was literally paralyzed for all that time. When the pain was bearable enough for me to get a coherent thought in, I thought I was going to die."

"I thought you were going to die, too." Marinette whispered. "I'm so glad you're OK. We need to find someone to talk to about this… but I have no idea who."

"Maybe Ladybug can help us. She's the expert on the akumas. Did she come? I have a vague recollection of somebody in red sitting over me… but maybe that was just a fever dream."

"Ladybug came, Alya… she cast her Miraculous Cure, but it didn't work. I think she left to try and find out what exactly we were dealing with."

"I wouldn't wish that sort of pain on anyone… not even Lila. I hope she can figure it out."

"Me too, Alya. Me, too."

* * *

Next time:

* "It was something I should have taken a closer look at…"  
* A chat with Chat  
* "This isn't over…"


	5. Picking Up Where We Left Off

A bump jostled Adrien awake as the train sped northwest through France. _I guess the vacation was good for more than just me! Last night was the first time Father took me out for dessert in… well… ever, I think. I think I'll finish this nap, and then check the news when we get closer to Paris._

Nathalie looked across the compartment at Gabriel, who was seated in the aisle seat next to his son. _It's good to see him at least trying to be a father again. I know he says that everything he does as Hawk Moth is for Adrien's benefit… but it's nice to actually see him being a positive presence in Adrien's life, instead of an abstract concept. Who knows, with more time together like this… maybe they'll actually grow closer as father and son rather than as employer and employee. And speaking of employer/employee relationships…_ She looked at the man fondly and smiled.

Nathalie had a sudden coughing fit. Gabriel looked up at her and asked, "Are you OK?"

"Fine, fine…" she waved him off. "Just a persistent cough I've had for a few weeks now. I'm not sure what it is, probably some allergies."

"You'll see Dr. Toux when we get back to Paris. I'd rather try to survive a few hours without you than a few days, if you're sick."

"Thank you, sir. I'll be sure to do that."

* * *

Marinette was tossing and turning as the sun rose, the events of the previous night burning in her mind. After they had left the Trocadero, she brought Alya home and told her parents what had happened. They had insisted on taking her straight to the hospital for evaluation, despite the girl's protests.

"I'm _fine_, Mom and Dad, really! Now if you'll excuse me, I just have to get this video uploaded to the Ladyblog… _hey! Put me down!_"

Nora had given Marinette her personal phone number. "If you see the Beetle or Mr. Whiskers, you have them call me the next time Scorpion Lady shows up. I'll take her for a few rounds in the cage before I strangle her."

The video on the Ladyblog had gotten in the tens of thousands of hits already, and had been picked up by TVI. Mayor Bourgeois had called an emergency press conference and announced that all possible resources would be put in play to find the mysterious villain.

"_Vengeance is ours! Beware, all who stand in the way of our mission! People of Paris… await your new Guardian!"_ Serket's words rang out.

_OK, let's try to figure out what we're dealing with here. New super… something. Was it an akuma? Akumas usually demand our Miraculous… well, Ladybug and Chat Noir weren't there. Even so, this one just seemed to want to make herself known. After she grabbed Alya's phone and made her announcement, she just… took off. _

_It's not like akumas to want to be chased. Maybe this one wants to lure us to Hawk Moth, though? The last time we fought him, it was on neutral ground. If he wants to get us again, then he probably wants to tip the scales in his favor._

'_Vengeance is ours'… that's certainly a negative emotion that Hawk Moth would take advantage of. So, all signs point to this being an akuma. Except… the sting isn't like anything any other akuma has had; it's more like Queen Bee's sting, except there's a lot of pain that comes with it. I feel like there's something I should be getting here._

_I wish I had a clearer idea of what the Lucky Charm was supposed to be. I was so worried about Alya that I don't really remember it. It was… um… something I should have taken a closer look at, probably. Ugh! Maybe Tikki remembers…_

She reached over and moved to poke her sleeping kwami. _Ehh… I'll ask after breakfast. I'm probably going to get a scolding for not paying attention, so maybe it won't be as bad if she's not hungry._

* * *

The TGV pulled into the Gare de Lyon about five minutes behind schedule. Gabriel bolted from his seat, gathered his carry-on bag, and made a beeline for the exit.

_Huh, _Adrien thought. _I wonder if he's sick again like he was before our trip to London. _He and Nathalie shared a shrug and followed the designer into the station.

Gabriel was stopped at a newsstand, frowning. The front page of Wednesday's _Le Monde_ had a grainy image of a scarlet-and-yellow clad person, with the headline "WHO IS SERKET?"

_A still from a cell phone video, most likely, _Gabriel mused. _Certainly not one of *my* creations… although you have to admire their style. Egyptian themed, _he noted, considering the costume. _Is this another hero? Or someone more sinister? I'll have to be careful… I don't want this person distracting from my mission. Or worse, fighting my akuma. It's bad enough that we have the Bourgeois girl and two other heroes on-call for Ladybug and Chat Noir._

Adrien saw what his father was looking at and immediately pulled out his phone. Jamming his earbuds in, he quickly browsed to the Ladyblog and clicked on the first video. He gasped and covered his mouth in horror as he watched what happened to his friend. _Alya hurt! And maybe Marinette, too! And I wasn't here to stop the akuma or help out. _Marinette's cry of "_Chat Noir, help!_" burned his ears. _My fault. I hope Ladybug didn't have too hard a time with this one. I'll have to get with her as soon as possible for an update. Maybe I can duck into a bathroom real quick and see if she's transformed…_

No sooner did the thought enter his mind when his father turned to him and snapped, "Come along, Adrien." Without waiting for a response, Gabriel walked outside and got in the waiting limousine.

* * *

The ride back to the Agreste mansion was tense. Gabriel alternated between fidgeting with his cravat and drumming his fingers on his knees. Nathalie's gentle admonition to "settle down before you give yourself a heart attack" was met with a glare that would have caused a lesser person to dig their own hole and die on the spot.

Once the limo pulled into the driveway, Gabriel disappeared so quickly that Adrien didn't even see him go into the mansion. Climbing the stairs to his room, he was vaguely aware of a slamming noise deep within the mansion as he set his overnight bag down on his bed. Adrien walked over to the computer and pulled up the Ladyblog. "Look at this, Plagg… what do you think?"

Plagg watched the video and winced. "Kid, I don't know… there's something fishy going on here. This looks like a high-powered akuma that we're dealing with, and we have to be careful. Let's assume that Hawk Moth isn't messing around with this one. Not that he ever is, but… you know what I mean. This definitely isn't a giant baby."

As if on cue, an alert on the Ladyblog popped up: "AKUMA! Aquaboulevard de Paris. Stay tuned for updates and a live feed!"

"That must be it, Plagg! Let's hurry up and get there before it disappears again! CLAWS OUT!"

* * *

Chat Noir arrived on-scene and surveyed the situation. The akuma - a man dressed in a red-orange-and-green costume that had a white steering wheel emblazoned on its chest - was pointing at groups of people and shooting a red beam from his hand. The people hit by the beam were gathering together in tight groups.

_Strange, this doesn't look like the akuma from the news last night… I wonder what this one's -_

"I AM TRAFFIC JAM! And like I was, you are now going to be stuck in masses of slow, barely-moving people for hours on end! Hahahahahahahaha!"

_\- oh._

Cat Noir's reverie was interrupted by Ladybug landing on his right. "What do we have, Kitty?" she asked.

"This doesn't look like a repeat of whatever that was last night, at least. I'm sorry you had to work with that all by yourself. Is Al- the Ladyblogger girl OK?"

Ladybug frowned. "I didn't get to fight last night's akuma either. It was gone before I could get the chance. Alya's fine, thank goodness, but it was really rough for her for a few minutes after the attack. She went to the hospital to get checked out." _I still don't know why the Cure didn't fix her._

"Wait, so if you didn't fight last night, then where did it go? And why are we dealing with something completely different now? I didn't think Hawk Moth could create multiple akumas without something special, and if he could, why would he stop at two?"

"I don't know, Chat… but let's take care of this guy first before we talk more about last night. I'm glad you're here. What have you seen?"

"Calls himself Traffic Jam, and his power appears to be, well, causing traffic jams." He pointed to a cluster of around forty people that was moving at a snail's pace toward the exit of the park, and trying to crowd their way through a passage designed for two people at most.

"We should hurry up… at that pace, people aren't going to get trampled, but crowds can get pretty dangerous quickly."

"On it, My Lady." Chat Noir extended his staff and vaulted toward the akuma. Ladybug tossed her yo-yo after him and quickly followed. Traffic Jam yelled something they didn't hear, and one of the crowds of people started inching back toward the akuma!

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Chat Noir lay on his back on a nearby roof. "That… well, that wasn't what I expected."

Ladybug was sitting cross-legged next to him. "He got so angry at the traffic jams that he caused that he threw down his car keys and stomped on them himself, which freed the butterfly so I could purify it. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before. We didn't even have to use our Lucky Charm or Cataclysm… he just gave up." She looked out at the mass of people in the park. "I should probably un-jam those people, though."

"Yeah, he totally lost it. Looks like all the crowds he created just swarmed him and made him madder than before. I don't think I've seen an akuma that unfocused since… well, I would say the giant baby, but _he_ was at least focused on getting his lollipop. Heh."

"Maybe Hawk Moth can't create powerful akumas back-to-back… like making Serket last night threw him off his game today or something," Ladybug pondered.

"Or maybe he could use a vacation. Can we crowdfund a way to get him a Caribbean cruise? I'd be in for a few Euro. Anyway… since we have some time - which I can't _believe,_ by the way - let's catch up on last night. What happened, My Lady?"

"I don't really know, to be honest," Ladybug replied slowly. "It's pretty much what was in the video on the Ladyblog. You saw that, right?"

Chat Noir hummed an affirmative.

Ladybug continued, "The akuma showed up and terrorized some people, then targeted Alya for some reason. I think it's because she ran to the akuma instead of running away from it. It used a power called Scorpion's Sting on her, then grabbed her camera and made its proclamation."

"Marinette was there, too, right? I'm glad she's safe. She must be a better friend than I thought if she called for help from me instead of you," he said absently.

"Now is _not_ the time for that, Chat," Ladybug sighed. _It's not like I was going to call on *myself* for help… not that you know that._

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry, Bugaboo. Still, I'm glad she's safe. I'm glad they're both safe."

"Me, too." Ladybug shuddered. "That could have been bad. I'm planning on talking to the Guardian tonight anyway, so this is going to have to go on top of the list."

"You're meeting with Master Fu tonight? Can I come?" Chat gave her his best smile and kitten eyes.

"Err… sorry, Kitty. He doesn't think it's wise that too many people know where he lives. I'll ask him to pay you a visit. Does he know how to get in touch with you?"

Chat Noir thought back to a time on another rooftop, and then later on that day when he had a substitute Chinese tutor. "Yes, he does. I'll have to be OK with that, won't I?" His costume ears flattened a bit. "Look… don't mind me. I'm still a bit salty that I wasn't able to help you out last night. I was… not in a place where I could transform. This is the first time that's happened, and I feel like I let a lot of people down."

Ladybug put her hand on his arm. "I know the feeling, Kitty. I felt like I let a lot of people down when I let Stoneheart multiply. We'll get past it together. Tell you what… I'll ask Master Fu if we can meet soon together to talk over all of this. I'm sure he wants to."

"I hate secrets," Chat Noir sighed. "I've got to keep so many from everybody. From my friends, my family, the people I love… it gets tiring."

"I know, Kitty. Me too. I promise that whatever I learn tonight about that akuma, I won't keep it from you." She continued with a malicious grin, "There will be no _Serkets_ between us."

Chat Noir looked wide-eyed at his partner, then let out a loud, long laugh. "That - was - _AMAZING!_ I didn't know you had it in you, My Lady."

Ladybug returned her partner's smile fondly, then unhooked her yo-yo and called for Lucky Charm.

* * *

Hawk Moth stood in the observatory, frowning. _I wonder why that didn't work as well as I had hoped. Clearly anger alone as an emotion wasn't effective… the akuma just let it consume him and lost the will to serve me. I'll have to make sure next time I choose a target with strong emotions *and* focus. _

_The new costumed… villain?... didn't show up either. Serket, she called herself. One of these days, I will have to meet her… or at least, send an akuma to meet her, and see what she is made of. If she is after the Guardian too, and it sounds like she might be, then we could get on the same page and both achieve our goals faster than we would separately._

_This isn't over, Emilie… not by a long shot._

* * *

The woman toyed with the bracelet on her wrist. "I felt _alive_… for the first time in many years, I felt alive."

"You will get that feeling again soon, I promise. But first, let us wait until some of the speculation about Serket has died down. We don't want to tip our hand too quickly and alert the Guardian until we have a better idea of where he is."

"And how do you plan to get that idea?" She inquired.

"Miraculous have a natural affinity for each other. It's how the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous wound up in Paris, since I suspect the Miracle Box has been here for nearly a century. It's why I arranged for you to go to Paris in the first place. Now that we have our own Miraculous, we can use that to attempt to draw ourselves closer to the Miracle Box, and then to the Guardian. Watch your behavior and your routines over the next few days… see if anything changes. I imagine that you'll find yourself closer to the Miracle Box - or to other Miraculous holders - without even realizing it."

"And what about the superheroes in the meantime?"

"We can let them play their own game with the Butterfly for the time being. They'll be busy with that. When the time is right, we will show that we are more powerful than them, and we will strike."

* * *

Next time:

* "I'll have to get used to that if we're going to be spending more time together..."  
* Chat checks in on a friend


	6. Three of a Perfect Pair

Ladybug returned to her bedroom and de-transformed. Almost immediately, a cacophony of noise erupted from Marinette's purse as message notifications came in one after another.

_I need to ask Tikki what happens to my phone when I'm Ladybug… I know I was able to get those letters out of my yo-yo a while back… does my phone go in there, too? Or does my phone's tech get absorbed into my yo-yo and act as the communicator? Anyway… let's see what's up. Oh! This is a nice surprise._

**[Luka] Hey Marinette, it's Luka… I got your number from Juleka. I hope that's ok**

**[Luka] She showed me that video from last night… lmk when you're up and moving around. Hope you're doing well**

Marinette looked at her phone and smiled. She was just about to text him back when another notification chimed.

**[Alya] hey girl i'm finally out of the hospital, want to hang today?**

Marinette decided to have the easier conversation first and responded to Alya.

**[Marinette] that's great! I'm so happy you're alright. Have to take a raincheck on hanging out today… I have family stuff tonight. Luka is texting me now so stand by for updates or help if I need it**

**[Alya] don't let me stop u girl, u totally got this! let me know what loverboy says :))))**

Marinette rolled her eyes and chuckled at her friend. Switching back to her conversation with Luka, she sent a message.

**[Marinette] Hey! That's totally ok. Thanks for checking in on me. Very sweet of you. I'm fine. How are you doing?**

_He's probably not right next to his phone, so I can wait for a response._ She pulled out her sketchpad and started drawing what she remembered of Serket. _Maybe this will help jog my memory or help me put together a strategy. Regardless, I'll definitely want to bring this to Master Fu so we can talk about that tonight. _

She was a good forty-five minutes into her sketch when her phone chimed. Picking it up, she looked at the alert on the screen.

**[Luka] Everything is great here. Glad to hear you're ok. Can you talk on the phone now?**

Marinette considered her options. _Even if I text him, I probably won't be able to concentrate on this sketch. _She sent back her response.

**[Marinette] sure :)**

Her phone buzzed. Marinette counted to five before answering it: "Hey!"

"Hey, yourself. How are you doing?"

"Oh, you know, the usual for around here. If it's not one thing, it's a supervillain trying to destroy Paris. How about you?"

Luka laughed. "I'm good, I'm good. I know we're going to see each other on Saturday, but I didn't want to leave you hanging until then… especially with what happened last night. Are you still going to be up for a guitar lesson?"

"Oh, absolutely! I'm looking forward to it."

"Great! Tell me, what kind of music do you listen to? I want to know what kind of songs you want to learn."

Marinette hummed. "Jagged Stone, but you knew that already. Besides him, my dad listens to a lot of Beatles music. Mom is more of an 80's person… and Johnny Hallyday, of course."

"Of course," Luka chuckled.

"Your turn - what kind of music do _you _luke, Like-a?... I mean… _like, Luka._ Sorry about that."

"Ha ha, no worries. I listen to a lot of stuff. It depends on my mood and what I'm feeling at the time. Music helps me express my emotions… like, if I want to feel a certain way, music can help me get there. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah… music is pretty powerful. I like to use it to calm down. It helps me focus when I'm working on a design."

"Exactly! Music just helps me… be. Awesome! This helps me get an idea of where to start."

Marinette smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Do you have to go? I really like talking to you."

"I've got a few more minutes… let's see, since you asked me a question, I guess it's only fair that I get to ask you a question back," she giggled.

"It's a deal. Shoot."

"How did you decide on blue for your hair?"

"What do you mean? My hair's naturally this color, I haven't dyed it in months."

_Aaack! _"I mean, uh, wow, that's amazing! I don't know anybody with blue hair naturally and wow, yeah, that's um… really really cool…"

Her stammering was interrupted by a laugh on the other end of the phone. "Sorry, Marinette, I was teasing. I do that to people I like. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I told you… I'm not very good at words."

"Oh! Ummm… ha-ha, yeah, sorry, of course! I'm not used to being teased, I guess… well, Dad does it, and Alya… so… aside from them…" _This is turning out to be a disaster! Get it together, Marinette! Just picture him here when you were taking his measurements. You were so relaxed then…_ She closed her eyes and pictured Luka standing in front of her, smiling. He leaned toward her, his eyes locked on hers. She could feel his hand on the back of her head... _This isn't helping! Focus, Marinette!_

"Sorry… I'll have to get used to that if we're going to be spending more time together. But to answer your question seriously, I like blue. My hair used to be all blue but it's grown out a bit. I'm not sure what to do with it next."

_Spending more time together? Yes, please! _"You should re-do it. It's a good color on you. It makes your eyes pop."

"Pop, huh?" He chuckled. "I'll take the fashion expert's word for it. My turn. I'm guessing your favorite color's pink?"

"Guilty as charged," Marinette laughed. "I can't _imagine_ how you guessed!"

_She does have a sense of humor_, Luka thought. _She just doesn't like being teased. She's able to make fun of herself, though, which I like. Doesn't take herself too seriously… the more I spend time with Marinette, the more I like her. I'm looking forward to Saturday… I hope I can make it that long._

Luka and Marinette's conversation wound through the next hour. By the time it was done, both of them were glad that it wasn't a video call due to the deep blushes that had taken up residence on their cheeks.

* * *

Adrien was face-down on his bed. His kwami was hovering over him, munching on a wedge of Camembert.

"Kid…"

"Plagg, you told me not to worry! You told me that everything would be OK, and that Ladybug would handle it! And look what happened! Alya was hurt, Marinette could have been hurt…!"

"That wasn't your fault, Adrien… you would have been out of town in any case."

"Yeah, but if I had _told_ Ladybug I would have been out of town, she could have gotten Rena Rouge or someone as a backup! Ladybug and Rena Rouge could have been there and stopped her! Something could have been done!"

"Adrien…" Plagg floated down and started purring to soothe his charge. "What could they have done? It looks like the akuma was just there and back in less than a minute, maybe two, tops. By the time word got back to them, it would have been too late. _This isn't your fault._" He nuzzled into Adrien's neck and purred louder.

Adrien rolled over onto his back. "I'm going to have to make it up to them, somehow. I wasn't there for my _friends_."

"You can be there _now_, Adrien. You should check up on them."

"That's true…" He pulled out his phone. "Hey, Plagg?"

"Yeah?"

"Marinette called for Chat Noir… should I go visit her with my ears on? Or should I text her just as… well, me?"

_Oh, boy. There's a reason why Marinette wouldn't call for Ladybug for help… but you don't know that yet. Hmm… what's the harm in visiting her as Chat Noir? She's friends with him, too._ "Why not both? Text her as Adrien now, and then visit her as Chat Noir later!" _Checking in on his friend twice could even cheer him up twice as much, too… and it certainly can't hurt their relationship any… not that either of them know that! My life would be so much easier if these kids could get it together long enough to recognize what they already see behind the masks._

* * *

Marinette pressed the End Call button on her phone and turned to Tikki. "Wow, that was actually really nice! I think that's probably the first _real_ conversation I've had with a boy in… well, forever, actually!" She laughed brightly.

"I'm proud of you, Marinette! You sounded so natural and relaxed!"

"It was _wonderful!_ I really felt like we connected… like, as artists, right? He does music and I do fashion, but we're still creative people when you boil all of that down. At this rate, I'm not sure we're going to make it to Saturday, and I don't think that Saturday is going to be just a guitar lesson! I need to text Alya and tell her the good news!" She pulled out her phone and laughed again. "Oh, shoot, looks like I missed a few texts while I was on the phone with Luka… usually I feel the phone vibrate but I guess I was too wrapped up. Let's see who these are from… _ack!_"

Tikki flew over her shoulder and read the first notification.

**[Adrien] Hi Marinette! I saw the video from last night and wanted to make sure you were ok.**

"_TIKKI!_" hissed Marinette. "_What am I supposed to DO about this?_ For the first time in _forever_, I feel like a boy is connecting with _me_ instead of the other way around… and then he has to go and do _this_?!" She slumped in her chair and groaned. "_Why_ does my life have to be so _hard?_"

She scrolled past the other notifications - similar messages from Nino, Alix, and Ms. Bustier - and dismissed them all. _None of these are urgent._ Marinette swivelled her chair to face her kwami. "Any ideas? And don't tell me to talk to Alya either, she'll probably have me do something crazy like date both of them or I don't know maybe tease me with texts that say _Marinette Dupain-Cheng-Couffaine-Agreste_ or send me pictures of hamsters with their names on them -"

"MARINETTE! BREATHE!" Tikki ordered. She flew down and tried to shake Marinette by the shoulders, but the size difference was too much for her to overcome.

Marinette hiccupped. "Sorry, Tikki. I guess I got a bit carried away there."

"D'ya think?" the kwami laughed. "Relax, Marinette, nothing that has happened today is the end of the world. You've got a lot on your plate, so it's OK if you're feeling a little stressed right now! It's even OK to talk to other people about it… you just have to make sure you have the _right_ people to talk to."

"So… Alya?" Marinette ventured.

"Consider the situation, Marinette. For girl things, maybe it's good you talk to your girlfriends. For Ladybug stuff, talk to me or Master Fu. Well… you can talk to me about anything," she quickly corrected herself. "What I'm saying is… it's normal to want different perspectives on things that are going on in your life. Eventually, you'll find someone that you can share everything with, but in the meantime, talk to the people you have right now."

"Sooo… Alya then," Marinette said flatly.

Tikki rolled her eyes. "Actually, Marinette, I was thinking you should talk to your _mom_. She was a teenager once too, you know. And I bet she went through something similar. Surprise yourself, and I think she'll surprise you, too."

* * *

Adrien was - quite literally - climbing the walls in his room.

"Listen, you might as well transform and get some air. Being cooped up in here isn't - oh!" The door opened and Plagg zipped away to hide.

"Adrien? Where are you?" Nathalie called. Her eyes scanned the room. "I swear, it's like that boy just disappears sometimes," she muttered under her breath.

"Here I am, Nathalie," Adrien called from the top of the rock wall.

She looked up. "Your father will be having dinner with you tonight."

_Wow,_ Adrien thought. _Dessert last night and then dinner tonight. What's the catch?_

Nathalie continued, "He will be hosting a new board member for Gabriel Fashion. Your presence is requested since this person will be bringing their daughter tonight and you are expected to entertain her."

_There it is. Back to reality, I guess. Maybe we can get Father to take another vacation._

"Yes, Nathalie."

"Tonight at seven. Remember your piano practice beforehand, please."

"Yes, Nathalie."

No sooner had the door closed behind her then Adrien called for Chat Noir. _I'm getting out of here. Just when I thought things were getting better._ He opened the window and vaulted out into the Paris afternoon. _I think I'll check up on Marinette. If she's not home or can't talk, then at least I can cure my mood with a cream puff or twelve._

* * *

Marinette was just about to open her door to go downstairs when she heard a soft _thump_ from overhead. She paused, then crept up her ladder to see what caused the noise. Poking her head out of the skylight, she gave a small shriek when she saw the bright green eyes of Chat Noir blinking back at her. "Chat! What are you doing here?"

"Sorry to startle you, Marinette. I just wanted to check up on you after last night."

"That's very sweet of you, Chat. I'm doing great, and Alya's doing great, too. She texted me a while back to let me know she was home from the hospital."

"I'm so relieved to hear that! It killed me when I heard that my friend could have been hurt last night without me there to do anything about it."

"Killed you, huh? Good thing you have nine lives," she smirked.

Chat stuck his tongue out at her. _She can dish it out…_ "Yeah, especially since you _called my name_… I think I'm down to seven," he said mischievously, eyes twinkling.

"You dork," Marinette teased back. _Seriously, is that all this poor boy can think about?_ "I'm guessing you're here to ask me about what I know, then?"

"Not really," Chat shrugged. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. You did mention that we could be friends, so…" he trailed off.

_Sounds like he's the one who needs the friend today. _"I'm sorry, Chat - it's been a busy day already today. Want to sit down?"

"I'd like that." He plopped down on the balcony and crossed his legs. "So… what's got you so busy today?"

"Hmm… well, let's see…" she started ticking items off on her fingers. "Akuma last night, video plastered all over Paris, friend in and out of the hospital, friends checking in on me… you know, the usual. I'm just a normal girl, with a normal life, after all," she grinned.

"A parade of friends sounds like it would do you good. Besides me, who's checked in?"

"Alya, Luka, Adrien, Nino, Alix… one of my teachers, strangely enough…"

"_Luka?_" Chat Noir blurted before he could stop himself.

"Oh, yeah, you probably don't know him. He's one of the very few people I know who hasn't been akumatized yet, so there's no real reason you two would have met. He's really sweet. We must have talked for over an hour," she said, then quickly cut herself off. _He's the one who needs the friend now… he doesn't need to hear you babbling on about your love life, Marinette._

"Over an _hour?_ Wow, that's… incredible!"

"Chat - I'm sorry. I'm sure you needed to talk about something, and I'm being a bad friend just going on and on about me. Why are you _really_ here?"

"Uh… it was really nothing other than to see how you were doing. I'd hate to see something bad happen to you and me not be there. After your father… well… anyway, it looks like everything's OK, though, so I'll let you rest from your busy morning and night. It was good to see you, Marinette. Let me know if you need anything, OK?"

Before Marinette could answer, he stood up, hopped onto the balcony railing, and leaped off, baton twirling overhead.

Marinette went back down to her room, shaking her head. "Tikki, can you please explain to me how I suddenly have _three_ boys interested in me? I don't care what he says, it got so awkward after I started talking about Luka that there's _no way_ that Chat sees me as _just a friend_."

"I'm not sure what to say, Marinette! I know I suggested talking to your mom, but maybe it would be better if you just played video games and didn't think about boys for the rest of the day!" _This will give me time to figure out what to say, too._

"You know what? That's a _great_ idea! I'm going to go beat up on some giant robots and see if that helps out at all!" She sat down at her desk and pulled out a video game controller.

"That's the spirit!" Tikki enthused. "I'm going to be taking a nap if you need me!" She turned away and floated up to Marinette's bed. If Marinette had looked up from the screen, she would have noticed her kwami slowly shaking her head as she flew away.

* * *

"Plagg, she likes _Luka!_ I'm telling you, I was _so dumb_ for even considering that she was more than just a friend, or even thought of me that way! She'll hang out with me, she'll help me with homework, she'll talk about fashion… but it looks like that's the end of it from her. There's no way on earth that Valentine poem could have come from her. Don't get me wrong… I'm glad to have her as a friend, as a very good friend, even… but she's not in love with _me_. This is proof, and you can't argue with proof!" Adrien was pacing back and forth in his room, Plagg floating behind him.

"Adrien…"

"I just wish I knew who sent that poem, though! Maybe I'm not crazy… maybe Ladybug sent it to me, after all!"

"Kid…" _You're getting warmer…_

"I just can't picture Ladybug digging through the wastebasket in the classroom and responding to poems she found in there, can you? I mean… maybe she found it in the dumpster outside… but I still can't see her digging through trash… unless it blew out somehow and she picked it up… after all, she's _Ladybug_, not _Litterbug_…" Adrien chuckled to himself at his joke.

_You're a litter-brain, is more like it_, Plagg thought.

"Plagg!" Adrien stopped suddenly and whirled to face his kwami. "What if _Ladybug is in love with Adrien?_ No, wait, hear me out on this! The night Chat gave her that rose on the rooftop, she told me there was another boy! When we were escaping Riposte, she got all flustered and blushing. And I've never seen her smile as wide as when she carried me back to the fashion show from the Eiffel Tower after Style Queen. Plagg! That _must _be it!"

Plagg did a double-facepalm.

"What do you think would happen if I went to Ladybug _as Adrien_ and tried to get her to go out with me? It would be perfect! I'm in love with her, she's in love with me…" He drummed his fingers on his mouth.

"...you'd have paparazzi following you everywhere, your father would probably kill you for bringing negative attention to the brand… but most importantly, _how would you contact her?_"

"Hmm… I've got it! Just have _Chat_ give her a note from _Adrien!_ This is _perfect_, Plagg!"

"Kid… what do you think would happen the first time you needed to run off for an akuma? What would happen if she needed to de-transform? Or worse yet… what would happen if she found out that you're Chat Noir? She would probably _kill you dead_ for tricking her into dating her partner! _I_ don't want that, and _you_ don't want that. I think Ladybug is best viewed from a distance."

Adrien frowned. "You're right; she hates liars. Ugh… this is totally wishful thinking. She's probably got some guy in her civilian identity that she's head over heels for. And good for her if she does! I just want her to be happy. But it would be nice if we could be happy together," he sighed.

"Aww… hey… kid… cheer up, OK? Dinner guests are going to be arriving soon and your father will be upset if you don't have your best face on. You're young. You've got plenty of time for love. Don't rush into stuff."

Adrien walked over to his desk and picked up the Valentine. "I'll find out who you are one of these days," he said, then headed off to the bathroom to freshen up.

* * *

The doorbell to the mansion rang, and Nathalie walked over to answer the front door.

"Hello, Mrs. Tsurugi. We're pleased you could join us."

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Sancoeur. I'd like to introduce my daughter, Kagami."

"It's nice to meet you, Kagami. Please, come inside. Mr. Agreste will meet us in the dining room."

* * *

Next time:

* "You will need to learn on your own"  
* "It's, um, complicated..."  
* "Life is just a fencing match"


	7. Parry and Thrust

Adrien entered the dining room. "Kagami! Hi! It's nice to have you over!" He smiled and went over to where the girl was standing to do _la bise_, the traditional French greeting of kissing both cheeks. "And Mrs. Tsurugi… good to see you again." He gently took the woman's hand and brought it to his lips.

Gabriel smiled approvingly at his son. _Perfect manners, just like I brought him up to have._ "Please, be seated. This is a celebratory dinner, after all! I couldn't be happier that Mrs. Tsurugi is joining the board of Gabriel Fashion." He pulled out the chair next to where he was standing, and gently guided Mrs. Tsurugi to it. Adrien pulled the chair next to her out for Kagami. He and his father then took their respective seats across the table from their counterparts.

With everyone seated, the first course - a tomato bisque - was brought out. Mrs. Tsurugi smiled approvingly. "This smells wonderful, Gabriel. Although, given the nature of our partnership, I was expecting something with a more Japanese flair."

"All in good time, of course." He turned to Adrien. "Mrs. Tsurugi is a celebrity in Japan, as you know. Given her status as an international fencing champion, we will be partnering with her to introduce Gabriel fashion in her home country. Japanese sensibilities with a French twist."

Adrien looked at the woman. _I wonder how she became an international champion, even though she's blind. That's probably impolite to ask… maybe I'll Google it later._ "That's great news, Father," he said, hoping he sounded enthusiastic enough without going overboard.

Kagami gave him a look that he couldn't place.

"Indeed it is," Gabriel continued, then continued eating his soup.

The conversation meandered around pleasantries over the course of the meal. The main course of Japanese beef and Roquefort impressed the Tsurugis, as did the fruit tart that followed for dessert. "This tart is fantastic," Mrs. Tsurugi gushed. "I love summer fruit; it's one of my favorite things to eat."

"I'm glad you are enjoying it," Gabriel said. When everyone had finished their food, he said, "Let's go to the living room so we can talk more about our arrangement. Adrien, take young Miss Tsurugi to your room. Nathalie will fetch her when it's time for her to leave."

"Yes, Father." Adrien inclined his head. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, Mrs. Tsurugi." He stood up and walked over to Kagami's chair, pulling it out slightly when she moved to stand up. "My room is this way. Follow me, please."

* * *

"Master," Marinette greeted the Guardian.

"Marinette," Master Fu replied. "Tell me about last night. You and your friend were in some serious danger." He hustled her into his apartment and gestured to the mat in the middle of the room.

Marinette sat down cross-legged. "It wasn't like anything I'd ever seen before. Aside from the video, I don't really have that much to offer. I've never seen an akuma run away before. Most akumas will immediately demand the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous, and some will go after us directly, but Serket didn't do either of those. I don't know if Hawk Moth was trying to lure us somewhere, or if there's something new going on. Another weird thing that I haven't told anyone else yet - not even Chat Noir - is that when I tried to use my Cure on what Serket did to Alya, _it didn't work._ That's never happened, and I'm scared.

"And then there was another akuma this morning. This one was completely different than Serket… it wasn't really focused, and eventually it just got mad and broke the akumatized object itself. Both Serket and the one from this morning really seem out-of-character for Hawk Moth. I wonder what could be going on with him.

"I'm really lost here… what do you think, Master?"

Master Fu hummed. "I think we need to look more closely at what happened last night. There must be something that we have missed." He closed his eyes and contemplated for a few seconds. "What was the Lucky Charm object you used?"

"Oh, um… well, the thing is, Master… I was so focused on getting Alya better that I didn't really pay attention to it. I just caught it as soon as it materialized and cast the Cure. Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"I don't think I have to tell you to not be that careless again. The Lucky Charm magic is powerful. It taps into your attributes of Luck and Creation to direct you in ways that will be the most advantageous to you. I'm not even sure Tikki could explain exactly how it works. Speaking of…" He turned to the kwamis, who were chasing each other around the room. "Tikki, Wayzz, can you come here, please?" The kwamis zipped over to their holders. "Tikki, can you tell us what the last Lucky Charm item you created was?"

The kwami thought. "My perception is limited when Marinette is transformed. Let me see if I can tap into the magic and find out." She hummed and started doing backflips in the air. "Let's see… the last Lucky Charm was... " She stopped turning and said brightly, "A keychain!"

"Wait, Master… that was the Lucky Charm from this morning. Can you do one more back, Tikki?"

The kwami resumed her backflips. After a few minutes, she stopped and announced, "This one's not as clear, unfortunately. A roundish-flat object, with four or five things sticking out of it. Almost like an upside-down bowl, or…" she looked at the green kwami floating next to her, "...a turtle! Yes, that was it, it was a small turtle!"

"Thank you, Tikki," Master Fu smiled. "Marinette, if you had recognized it as a turtle, what would you have done with it?"

"That's a good question, Master. I probably... would have come back here and asked for the Turtle Miraculous?"

"And I would have referred you directly to Wayzz, who alerted me last night that he felt the aura that he felt on Monday night again. The person who called themselves Serket is therefore almost certainly the holder of a previously unknown Miraculous."

Marinette was aghast. "Master - a _new_ Miraculous? But - how could that have happened? You said that there wasn't a way to create new Miraculous, and the Miracle Box is full, so… oh no, I should have come to you right away last night! Or earlier today!"

"I'm sorry, Marinette. I would have told you this sooner, but you will need to learn on your own how to come to these sort of conclusions. You made a mistake by not regarding the Lucky Charm that was created for you. I trust you will not make that mistake again."

Marinette hung her head and mumbled an apology.

"Do not worry yourself too much about this, Marinette. Mistakes are what help us grow. The universe has balance. You cannot have success without failure. Often, the biggest successes come after the biggest failures. Remember that.

"Now, since we are almost certainly working with a new Miraculous, I must teach you how the Miraculous were created… or at least, how much I know about that. As I said, the secrets of Miraculous creation have been lost for thousands of years…"

* * *

"I don't understand you, Adrien," Kagami told him.

"Wha- what do you mean?"

The two teens were sitting on Adrien's couch, the end credits of _Fill My Shoes_ rolling.

"I don't understand you," Kagami repeated. "Even though you clearly don't care that much about fashion, you're still a model. You're good at your hobbies, but I'm going to guess that you don't enjoy them all that much, either. Except for fencing - I can tell you enjoy that. Why do you do all these things?"

"It's what I'm supposed to do."

"Says who?"

"My father… well, he says I should do things that benefit the family. Since the family _is_ the Gabriel brand, then I have to model for him. It's kind of what I was brought up to do. Following family traditions and things like that. Father plays the piano, that's why I play the piano. Father takes a trip to Tibet, I take Chinese lessons. It's funny… he wants me to take fencing, but I don't know why, and strangely enough, that's the one I like. I wonder if I'd enjoy it as much if I knew why he wanted me to take it. I don't think Father is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant."

"See, that's the difference between you and me. My mother has traveled all over the world, including Tibet for that matter, and I only ever had to learn French because it's the international language of fencing. It helped when we moved to Paris a few months ago, of course."

"I only can imagine I'm learning Chinese to help work with the manufacturers down the road for if and when Father launches his global brand. I can't really see a use for it here in Paris. And my English is passable enough. So's yours, by the way. It was fun hanging out in London with you."

"What, even though you spent most of the weekend running around the city trying to find a pharmacy? English food must not agree with you very much."

"Ehh… forget about that. I'm not sure what that was about, either. Knowing Mar- err, the girl who gave me the mystery letter, there may have been a mixup."

"You're still going on about Marinette, even though at the ice rink she was with another boy?"

"It's complicated. Besides, I think she and that boy are officially together now."

"Well, that's great! Now you can switch targets!"

"Marinette… wasn't the initial target. She wants to be a good friend and I value her for that. I don't think there could be anything romantic there."

"But the other girl…?"

"It's, um, complicated too. That's the best I can tell you," he shrugged.

"It sounds like 'complicated' is making you miserable. You should go for something simple instead. All these trappings —" she indicated the room in a large sweeping gesture "— show what others want you to be, but how about _you? _Who do _you_ want to be? Let me ask you this… When was the last time you did something for _yourself?_"

"Um… when I asked to go to public school?" Adrien guessed.

"Wait, _what?!_ You _asked_ to go to public school? Nevermind... how long ago was that? You let other people control your life and your emotions, Adrien. You should take charge and control them yourself, or else they're going to eat you up. Don't you remember what they taught you in fencing? Control your emotions. Control your reactions. Control your surroundings."

"Yeah, but that's fencing, though," Adrien protested.

"It's _life_, Adrien. Life is just a fencing match. You're exceptional at fencing. Take the lessons you have learned doing that, and apply them to your life."

"You can't just swipe at everything with a saber, though!"

Kagami pinched the bridge of her nose. "_Please_ tell me you are being dense on purpose. Here, let me explain…"

* * *

"It takes a lot of magic to make the Miraculous. I'm not sure I'll _ever_ understand it," Marinette said. "I can barely get through one of Ms. Mendeleiev's classes without my eyes crossing."

"Do not worry about that right now. You are young, and even Guardians do not understand everything about how Miraculous are made. Our job is to protect and watch over what we already have, not create more work for ourselves. I worry that you may not be holding the right Miraculous to be a Guardian, since Tikki is the kwami of Creation… but since there is inherent good luck with the Ladybug Miraculous, that is probably the wisest choice for now."

"Master, I can't ever imagine myself wearing another Miraculous… but I understand what you mean. Creation is a powerful concept."

"It is, Marinette. When you choose which kwami you want as your companion as Guardian, consider the concept that the kwami embodies. And that is what will conclude our lesson tonight: learning which concept each Miraculous embodies. Which ones do you know so far?"

"Ladybug is Creation, Black Cat is Destruction, Fox is Illusion, Turtle is Protection, Bee is Subjection. I'm guessing the Tiger is Passion based on our conversation the other night…?"

Master Fu smiled and nodded.

"The Butterfly is… hmm… creating giant evil monsters?"

"The Butterfly Miraculous is a simple one: Generosity, or Transmission. Essentially: giving people the power to become something they're not. Usually it's something better. Hawk Moth has twisted this power for evil. The final main Miraculous is the Peacock, which is the concept of Hope."

Marinette sat silently, processing the information Fu had just given her. "Is there a known kwami of Vengeance? Vengeance was the first word spoken by Serket when she made her announcement in the video."

"There is no known kwami of Vengeance. You could very well be onto something with that, Marinette," Fu confirmed.

"One thing I don't get is… Miraculous holders generally represent in some form the animal associated with the Miraculous. I have a red costume with black spots. Chat Noir has a tail and, oddly, a bell on his neck. Serket didn't look like an animal, she looked like… well… this." She pulled her drawing from earlier in the day out of her pocket and unfolded it. "This looks like something out of my Egyptian History class."

"Hmm… Marinette, I can't say that I've ever seen an Egyptian-themed Miraculous before… but your costume is generally a representation subconsciously of what you imagine yourself to be as a superhero."

"I'll have to ask Kitty about that bell, then," Marinette grinned.

"Perhaps," Master Fu conceded. "But the more important question is, what can we learn about the villain from their costume choice? Does it give them strengths? Weaknesses? It's a shame my studies were all on Chinese and French history."

"Wait! We haven't seen an Egyptian-themed Miraculous before, but we _have_ seen an Egyptian-themed _akuma_ before. Maybe going to see _him_ can shed some light on this."

"Can you find him again, Marinette?"

"It will be easy. He's the older brother of one of my classmates, Alix. His name is Jalil Kubdel, but when he was an akuma, he was the _Pharaoh_."

"Well-deduced, Guardian. Let me know what you find out."

* * *

"So you're saying L- er, my initial target - is constantly parrying me?"

"That's right. She doesn't want you to get close, so she constantly deflects you."

"Huh, I never thought about it that way," Adrien mused.

"There's more. What do you do after you parry?"

"That's easy: you riposte. That's one of the first things they teach."

"Exactly! And does your target riposte ever? Or does she just constantly parry?"

Adrien thought for a moment. The constant brush-offs of Chat Noir's advances. Getting pushed away by the nose. The all-business attitude. There were some things, like her trying to make puns recently, but overwhelmingly she was showing signs that she wasn't interested in Chat Noir as anything but a partner in crime-fighting. "Just parries, usually. And some feints."

"So, that shows that she doesn't want to engage you. And just like I said before… you need to _change targets_, Adrien. Attacking the same target in the same way over and over will only drive you insane, and you will lose! You must try different targets and different methods of attack. That's the only way you will grow as a fencer, and that's the only way you will grow in life. Otherwise, you become too predictable, and predictable is boring."

"That makes sense."

"Of course it _makes sense_, it's the _truth_! My mother has been teaching me about this sort of thing for as long as I can remember. She's probably forgotten more about fencing than I will ever learn."

Adrien considered his next words carefully. "You know, there's something I wanted to ask you…"

He couldn't finish his thought, as Nathalie knocked on his bedroom door and entered without waiting for him to answer. "Mrs. Tsurugi is ready to depart," she said.

Kagami took Adrien's phone and tapped the screen a few times, she smiled and handed it back to him. "Remember what we talked about. You'll need it."

* * *

The Tsurugis rode back to their house together in the back seat of the Agreste limousine. Kagami felt a vibration in her pocket and took out her phone. Opening the message app, she smiled when she saw the latest message.

**[Adrien] Thanks for tonight… I really enjoyed talking with you. Dinner on Saturday? I promise, no repeats of the ice rink**

Her thumbs danced over the screen.

**[Kagami] omg, it's about time. Yes and yes. I'll be at your place at five.**

* * *

Next time:

* "Of all the things you had to learn from Chat..."  
* "I thought you'd never ask!"  
* "I'll be down to six lives before you know it!"


	8. Walk Like an Egyptian

"Tikki, what's the best way to get in touch with Chat Noir when we're not transformed?"

"Marinette, we have _got_ to stop having these conversations so early in the morning. You're going to wear yourself out. We both need our beauty sleep," the kwami yawned.

"Sorry, Tikki, I can't get this out of my mind. I want Chat and I to be partners on this investigation. He felt so bad that he wasn't there the other night, and I promised him that there wouldn't be any secrets. Plus, he deserves it. He does a lot for me and I owe it to him."

"You could always climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower and pretend to be an akuma," Tikki suggested.

"No, last time Paris thought I was akumatized, Hawk Moth almost won. How about something more subtle, like a Cat-signal?"

"You mean to tell me that you're thinking of copying something _Chloe Bourgeois_ does and calling it _subtle?_"

"Good point… hmm… ooh… I could get a burner phone and give it to him to contact me, and a fake email address or Messenger ID to go with it… there's a thought. But those are expensive and I'm not sure I could afford two of them. Or one of them." Marinette frowned. "Tikki, I _know_ you know who Chat Noir is. Can't you just go to him and give him a message?"

Tikki's brows furrowed. "Master Fu got very mad at us when we left your side in Sandboy. I'm not sure that would be a good idea."

Marinette made her best _Please?_ face.

"Ugh… of all the things you had to learn from Chat, it was that _look?_ Fine. I'll go. I still owe you for Sandboy anyway. But, I don't like it! And don't expect me to break the rules again for you! What do you want me to tell him?"

"Tell him to meet me at the Louvre at 10:00. We'll figure out communication going forward then. And Tikki… thanks. This means a lot."

Tikki smiled, nuzzled Marinette on the cheek, and then flew through the window.

* * *

Plagg was dreaming of a giant wheel of Camembert.

It was about five feet wide, on a gold pedestal, and it was _his_.

Nothing was going to stop him from eating that cheese. He might even eat it in one go, if he could get away with it. He pictured patting his fat, cheese-filled stomach after enjoying all of the gooey goodness…

No. The pedestal was shaking. The cheese was going to slide off! He had to stop it! He tried flying toward the cheese, but that just made the pedestal shake even more! The pedestal was shaking so much that _he_ was shaking!

Plagg woke up, panting and gasping for breath. He looked around for the cheese, but instead saw bright blue-violet eyes peeking back at him. "_You!_" he hissed. "You woke me up from the greatest dream I have had in at _least_ the past week! Wait… where's Ladybug?"

"Shh… sorry, Plagg, but she wanted to get in touch with Chat as soon as possible. They'll have to work something else out going forward, but in the meantime: have Chat Noir meet Ladybug at the Louvre at 10 this morning. I've got to get back; don't be late!"

Plagg grumbled something about becoming more responsible these days, flew over to Adrien's phone, and set an alarm for 9:45.

* * *

Ten o'clock found Ladybug crouched on top of the Pyramide du Louvre, scanning the sky for her partner. Right on time, Chat Noir touched down next to her.

"What brings you here so _paw_-sitively early this Thursday morning, My Lady?"

Ladybug smiled. "I've got some investigating to do, and I thought you might want to come along for the ride. You interested?"

"Me? Interested? I _am_ a cat after all, My Lady. Curiosity is second nature."

"Yes, but you know what they say about cats and curiosity. Nobody will ever accuse me of not looking out for my partner's best interests!" she teased.

"I'm in. Where do we start?"

"OK. I'll start at the beginning. It turns out this Serket character wasn't an akuma."

"It wasn't? What could she have been, then?"

"A Miraculous holder."

"So somebody stole the Miraculous? How did they get it? Or is this another case of one being lost for a long time and it finally turning up?"

"None of those, Kitty. Apparently Serket created a new Miraculous. And this one is going to be bad. You know how you are Destruction, and I'm Creation?"

Chat nodded. "Yeah?"

"Serket's kwami is most likely Vengeance."

"So not only do we have a new Miraculous holder - which blows my _mind_ \- but they're the embodiment of _revenge_? That's not good at all! Hawk Moth has a focused goal and we're aware of it, but until we figure out what Serket wants, all of Paris is in danger."

"Exactly, Kitty. So, we're here for two reasons. The first reason is: with this new threat, we need a way to contact each other out of the suits. Second: I have a potential lead on Serket. Which one would you like to cover first?"

"I think I might have the first one solved, and that will take about three minutes. So, let's go with option two. I'm used to following your lead anyway, My Lady."

"You're such a good kitty that way. The new Miraculous holder's costume looks Egyptian, and since our costumes are representations of what we want deep down inside, I thought it might be useful to consult our resident Egyptologist."

"Jalil Kubdel - the Pharaoh!" Chat exclaimed.

"Precisely. Let's go see what he has to say." Ladybug slid down the pyramid and waited for her partner to follow, then they both went into the Louvre together.

* * *

"Ladybug! Chat Noir! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Jalil asked. "Please, sit down. It's not much, but I've been given this small office to continue my studies while the University is on summer break."

The heroes took their seats across the desk from Jalil. Ladybug explained the situation, and took out a drawing she made of Serket.

Jalil hummed as he examined the drawing. "Yes… traditional Egyptian garb for a warrior. But what's more interesting is your villain's choice of name. I'm assuming you've looked up Serket already?"

Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged an embarrassed look. "No, actually."

"It's no problem! I'm happy to explain." Jalil's eyes twinkled. "Serket is an Egyptian goddess. Fertility, nature, animals, medicine… but I think what might interest you most is that she is the goddess of magic and scorpions."

"I knew I should have studied more for the Egyptian history test," Ladybug muttered under her breath.

"Huh?" Chat Noir and Jalil asked.

"Nevermind, sorry. Please continue," she gestured.

"Scorpions were abundant in Egypt, so Serket was seen as the personal protector of the Pharaohs. There was one scorpion that was so dangerous it was called the Deathstalker. Pharaohs craved the protection of Serket so much that a couple of them even took the name 'Scorpion'. They wanted to be seen as her partner."

"Interesting," Chat Noir said. "Did Serket have any enemies? Like Osiris and Set were?"

"You do know your Egyptian history, Chat Noir! Very good!" Jalil exclaimed. Ladybug boggled at her partner.

Jalil continued, "Serket didn't have any enemies _per se_, but she was seen as someone who could cure venoms, like the scorpion and the snake, for example. She was the guard against Apep, the snake deity of Egypt. Here, let me show you..." He reached behind him and pulled out a thick book, and thumbed to the page for Serket.

When he turned the book around, the heroes saw a red-and-yellow goddess, holding an ankh in one hand and a _was_ sceptre in the other.

"That's her," Ladybug breathed. "I recognize the weapon."

"What else can you tell us about Serket, Jalil?" asked Chat Noir.

The young man smiled and leaned back in his chair. "I thought you'd never ask," he said confidently.

* * *

Two hours later, the heroes emerged from the museum.

"Is it still daylight?" Chat Noir blinked owlishly.

"This is certainly the most we'll ever need to know about Serket," Ladybug agreed. "I need to get back home for lunch, but this has been a very productive morning."

"It has been. Thanks for bringing me along."

"Anytime, Kitty. I know how you feel about working together as a team, and I didn't want you to short-_Serket_ by being left out of the loop again," she smiled warmly at him.

"My LADY! That's two puns in two days! I swear, if you keep this up, I'll be down to six lives before you know it!"

"Six…? What happened to the other two? Is there something you need to tell me?"

"Oh, um… nothing. Just an… um… something I said to a friend yesterday. Ignore me."

"I could never ignore you, Kitty. You know that."

"That's true! And speaking of… I have that solution for staying in contact with each other outside of costume." He grinned and unzipped the pockets on his costume. He pulled out a small flip phone and handed it to Ladybug. "I've already programmed my phone number into the contacts list. I'll always have it on me, so feel free to text me or give me a call if you need me." The grin quickly turned into a rakish smile.

"Chat, I can't have your personal phone number… it's too dangerous," Ladybug started.

"Oh, don't worry, I have a burner phone too. Go ahead and try it out!"

Ladybug looked skeptical, but nevertheless flipped the phone open, went to the sole contact, and sent a text message.

**[LB] /(%)\**

A short digital version of the _Pokemon_ theme played from Chat's costume pocket. Ladybug rolled her eyes.

"See? Easy." He pulled out his phone and chuckled, before fumbling with the keyboard. He laughed again when Ladybug's phone beeped out the Nyan Cat song.

**[CN] =^.^=**

"You are _such _a dork, Chat," Ladybug sighed. Then she grinned in spite of herself. "I like it! But Chat… two phones? That couldn't have been cheap. Let me pay you back for this one."

"Don't worry about it! It's the least this gentlecat could do for his Lady. But if you really want to make it up to me, I take payment in desserts and tummy rubs."

Ladybug rolled her eyes again. "I'll see what I can come up with." She slung her yo-yo out into the air and was gone before Chat Noir could protest.

* * *

Sabine looked up at the door when the bell dinged. "Hello!" she said brightly to the old man entering. "What can I get for you today?"

The old man smiled. "I'm new in town and am sampling all of the local bakeries."

"How delightful! We have a reputation as the best bakery in the area, so I hope we live up to that for you. What kind of pastries do you like?"

"All sorts, although…" The man's eyes lit up and he indicated some pastries near the edge of the display case. "Are those _Nai wong bao?_"

"They are! One of my grandmothers made them and handed the recipe down to me."

"I would like to try one, please." He placed some money on the counter.

Sabine took the pastry and handed it to the old man on a piece of wax paper. He bit into it and closed his eyes. "Delicious… This takes me back. I enjoyed eating these as a child."

"Thank you very much, Mister…"

"Chou."

"Mister Chou, I'm Mrs. Cheng. We hope to see you back here soon."

"_Xièxiè_, Mrs. Cheng. You can count on it."

* * *

(Note: "_Xièxiè_" is Chinese for "thank you"_._)


	9. Akuma Matata

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon in Paris. Henri Duval was walking along a path in the Luxembourg Gardens, flying a drone ahead of him, capturing the beautiful statues and summer blossoms from the sky. He was so captivated by the images being streamed to the screen on his remote control, that he failed to notice Roger Raincomprix, officer of the law, standing directly in front of him until it was too late!

"Mister Duval, how many times have I told you that you can't fly your drone here! You're scaring the birds away, and when the birds fly away suddenly like that, things get messy for those of us down here on the ground, if you know what I'm saying. Hand over your drone now, please! I'm confiscating it!"

"But officer… I'm just trying to show the beauty of Paris to everyone else! Please, let me just retrieve the video, and I'll be on my way…"

"No can do, Mister Duval. You know the rules! Hand it over." Roger frowned sternly and held out his hand.

Mister Duval flew the drone down and plucked it out of the air. He placed the drone in the policeman's hand and said, "I only want to help out the city of Paris! You don't understand!"

"You want to help the city of Paris, stop making birds poop on everything!" Roger shook the drone menacingly at Mister Duval. "You can have this back when you come to the station and pay your fine. Since this is not your first offense, you can expect that fine to be big, too!" He turned and walked away, muttering, "What is it with people and these birds, anyway? First Mister Romier, now this guy…"

Mister Duval clutched the controller in his hand and fell to his knees. _I was going to use that video to secure myself a job in the Department of Tourism! What on Earth am I going to do now?_

A purple butterfly flew into his hands and merged with the controller, darkening it. A mask-like energy signature illuminated his face.

* * *

"Remote Control, I am Hawk Moth. You want to control your destiny! I will give you control of the citizens of Paris! In return, you must bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous!"

"Nobody will be able to resist my control, Hawk Moth!"

Black and purple magic bubbles enveloped Mister Duval, leaving a six-foot-tall man dressed in a sleek black-and-silver metal costume. He held a tablet-sized black panel in his hands. As he ran his fingers over the panel, innocent bystanders nearby began moving en masse, falling victim to his direction!

* * *

Adrien was mindlessly scrolling through his Netflix watch list when the AKUMA ALERT message popped up in his always-open Ladyblog window. _Let's see how well these phones work!_ He pulled his phone out, flipped it open, and tapped out a message.

**[CN] Akuma at the Luxembourg Gardens. See you soon! =^.^=**

Without waiting for a reply, he called for his transformation, put the phone in his costume pocket, and leaped out the window.

* * *

Chat Noir was crouched near the Statue of Liberty when Ladybug arrived on the scene. "Did you get my message, My Lady?"

"You don't strike me as the kind of person who makes cat calls, Chat…" Ladybug watched her partner smile at the pun. "But to answer your question, yes, I did. I like the phone idea so far." She considered the akuma. "This guy kind of looks like Master Chief," she commented absently.

"My Lady, you play Halo?!" Chat boggled.

"I'm more into Ultimate Mecha Strike now, but I know my way around the game," she grinned. "No time for that now, Kitty… let's get this akuma!" And without another word, she jumped into the fray.

It took Chat Noir a few seconds to get the dopey smile off his face and follow her.

* * *

Forty minutes had passed during the battle, with neither the heroes nor the akuma gaining a considerable advantage. Chat Noir called for his Cataclysm, and at a nod from Ladybug, dove to the pedestal where the akuma was orchestrating his attack on the heroes!

Remote Control fell backward as the Cataclysm destroyed the pedestal! He juggled the panel, struggling to maintain his grip on the slick device. His controlled minions went in random directions as his fingers slipped and slid across the panel.

Just then, a black-hooded, yellow-and-red clad figure landed about ten feet behind the akuma! Ladybug froze in horror, the memory of their last encounter etched in her mind. Her eyes slowly traced the length of the _was_ sceptre to its forked end - the end that caused her best friend so much pain.

_It's not glowing, so we're not in danger… yet. Well, the fact that Serket is *here* probably means that we're in danger. We'll probably know any second now if she's in league with Hawk Moth._ Ladybug twirled her yo-yo and crouched, ready to spring into action.

It was Chat Noir who scored the decisive hit on Remote Control, however. Taking advantage of the distraction, he extended his staff and slammed the tablet to the ground, breaking it in two! A purple-and-black butterfly began to fly away.

Ladybug swung her yo-yo at the butterfly, captured it, and purified it, her eyes not leaving Serket. Serket gazed at the superheroes. _It's almost like she's daring us to come and confront her. I don't want to take that risk… not without knowing exactly what we're up against. But… I have to know more._ "What do you want, Serket?"

"Ladybug… it's a pleasure to meet you. Bring a message to the Guardian that Vengeance is coming to bring justice."

"Justice for what?" Ladybug asked. _If she wants me to bring a message, I'm safe… for now… but I don't want to keep her around any longer than necessary._

"He'll know. Be a good girl and pass the message along. We will meet again soon." Without another word, Serket jumped into the air in the direction of the Palais du Luxembourg and disappeared into the afternoon sky.

Ladybug threw the Lucky Charm into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" she yelled. A swarm of magical ladybugs washed through the air, setting all the damage from the battle back to how it was before and freeing the people who were under the akuma's power.

Chat Noir put his hand on her shoulder. "What was _that_ all about? Are you OK, Bugaboo?"

"I… don't know. I was terrified there for a second. I know what Serket can do to people, and I don't know how much our magic would protect against other Miraculous power." _I need to ask Master Fu that when I see him next._

"Are you going to take that message to Master Fu?"

"I don't have a choice at this point. Maybe he knows something we don't about what the message means. I'll let you know what he says, Kitty."

"I'm all ears, My Lady. And a tail. But mostly ears," he grinned.

Ladybug smiled fondly at her partner. "Thanks for looking out for me," she said, and swung off toward home.

"Excuse me," said Mister Duval timidly. "Can somebody help me out here, please?"

* * *

"Serket showed up and, while she didn't help Ladybug and Chat Noir defeat my akuma, she managed to cause enough of a diversion to allow the heroes to win. Again," Gabriel fumed. "I must figure out the nature of this new person before she disrupts my plans to get the Miraculous for myself!"

Nathalie watched him pace the floor. "Sir, perhaps an alliance would be in order. If both of you want the Guardian, I see no reason why you should not work together to achieve that goal."

"I _must_ get those Miraculous! The fact that Serket is on the scene now only intensifies my search for them! If she were to get to the Guardian before me, then everything I have worked for would be wasted! However… if we work together…" Gabriel hummed, sinking deep into thought.

Nathalie coughed.

"Didn't you see that doctor like I told you too?"

"Yes, sir. It looks like a virus that will have to run its course. I was given some medicine to help me sleep." She walked over and put her hand on his arm. "I'll help you get through this. We'll all get through this together."

* * *

Marinette and Master Fu were once again seated across from each other on the mat. Marinette lowered a mug of tea and asked, "Master, we're pretty much impervious to damage in our suits… but does that mean we're impervious to damage from other Miraculous wielders? I know when Hawk Moth fought against us on the Eiffel Tower, he was able to overpower us, but that was in hand-to-hand combat. What do you think would happen if Serket tried her attack on me or Chat Noir?"

"I'm going to ask you that same question back, Marinette. What has happened in the past when you have encountered Miraculous magic?"

Marinette thought for a second. "The most obvious one is that we're vulnerable to akumas - Rena Rouge, Queen Bee, and Carapace have all been akumatized while transformed. Chat Noir has been affected by… well… let's just say that there have been many times where he's fallen prey to akuma influence. So my guess is… _yes_, we can be affected by magic, but physical attacks probably won't hurt us."

"That is a good conclusion, Marinette. You are correct. I would recommend you both avoid Serket's sting in any case, regardless of whether or not it would appear to harm you. There may be adverse effects we are currently unaware of."

_I'll have to keep a closer eye on Alya, then, just to be sure. The doctors didn't find anything wrong with her, but there's no telling what magic remains._ "We'll be sure to stay out of harm's way." She paused. "One more thing before we get started tonight on what you had planned: When we ran into Serket earlier today, she said to give you a message. It was, '_Vengeance is coming to bring justice.'_ Does that mean anything to you?"

Master Fu hummed. "If we are correct that Serket's kwami is Vengeance, then it most likely means that Serket is seeking me out. For what reason, I cannot tell."

"Master Fu, why would anyone want vengeance on _you_? You're the kindest, wisest person I know."

"Thank you for the compliment, Marinette. I have no idea why someone would be coming after me, either." _The last time someone came after me was back in the War, but that wasn't a threat from a Miraculous holder. It's been too long for that… unless…_

"That's all I know from today. Let's move on to tonight's lesson! What are we covering?"

"Tonight, Marinette, we'll be learning more about kwamis. As you have learned a bit about what each kwami represents, you must now learn the unique, individual personalities of the kwamis. You will have to use your knowledge of not only the kwami, but also the Miraculous powers and concepts in order to make wise choices, should the need arise in the future where you have to give them out. Please, fetch me the Miracle Box."

Marinette got up and crossed to the credenza, and returned to the mat with the gramophone. Master Fu opened it and extracted the Miracle Box. "Once you are comfortable with the kwamis and the Miraculous, I think I can entrust you with the code." He placed the Miracle Box between them and opened the lid. "Now, Marinette… who would you like to meet first?"

* * *

Later that night, Marinette was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "Oh. My. Goodness. Tikki! That Rabbit kwami - Fluff - certainly lives up to her name! She is SO. CUTE."

"They're not all like that, just so you know, Marinette," Tikki giggled. "You'd never believe the stories I have about some of them! And even though they're friendly with you, they don't always get along with each other! Put Fluff up against Sass or Orikko, for example, and you'll have a fight on your hands!"

"Does that work with the kwami wielders, too? Like, if the Snake and the Rooster were active at the same time?"

"You won't have to worry about them together… they get along great! Just don't throw the Rabbit into the mix and you'll have issues. Put her with Barkk, though, and it's a match made in heaven!"

"Barkk… that sounds like the Dog kwami. Right?"

"You've got it, Marinette!"

"I'm sure I won't get him out anytime soon… not with Chat around," she laughed.

"Actually, the seven kwami from the top level of the Miracle Box are compatible with everybody. We might get on each others' nerves from time to time, but we all know how to play nice with everyone. It's only with the other twelve Miraculous that you'd have to worry. They require… let's say, a more delicate touch."

"Good to know! And speaking of Chat…" Marinette's eyes drifted to her nightstand, where the flip phone was charging. "I know it's not an emergency, but I really should text him and tell him what I learned tonight about Serket. He'll need to know that before he decides to go and jump in front of her to protect me." She picked up the phone and tapped away at the keypad.

**[LB] Hey Kitty… got some good stuff to share. You free tomorrow night to catch up?**

"Don't take too long, Marinette. You've got that big date with Luka tomorrow and you don't want to be too tired for that!" Tikki teased.

"It's not a _big date_, Tikki… he's just coming over for a guitar lesson."

"Yes, and I'm sure you two will make _beautiful music_ together, won't you?" She dodged a stuffed animal that Marinette tossed at her.

The phone buzzed and Marinette read the response.

* * *

"Plagg… that's when my dinner with Kagami is! What am I going to do? Ladybug is important to me, regardless of how she feels about me romantically…"

"You're overthinking this, Adrien. Just see if she can meet up earlier in the day!" Plagg smugly smiled at his wisdom.

**[CN] Um… tomorrow night isn't good, I have something going on. How about earlier in the afternoon?**

He hit _Send_ and waited for an answer.

* * *

"Tikki… that's when my date with Luka is! What am I going to do? Chat is important to me, regardless of how he feels about me romantically…"

"Oh, you're finally admitting it's a _date_ with Luka, then? Relax, Marinette! You'll meet up with Chat soon enough. Just enjoy your time with Luka without stressing about Ladybug stuff!"

**[LB] No, that won't work for me, I'll be busy then. How late are you busy tomorrow night?**

**[CN] I don't know, but I can't stay out too late - I have an early morning Sunday commitment.**

**[LB] Maybe we can stage an akuma attack so we both have an excuse to get away ;-)**

**[CN] You know, if you wanted to see me, all you had to do was ask =^.^=**

"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to string up his flirty, furry butt and kill him dead, Tikki."

**[LB] !**

**[LB] What do you think I'm doing, furball?**

**[CN] Just teasing, Bug. Text me Sunday around 10 and we'll meet up. Deal?**

**[LB] Deal. Good night, Kitty /(%)\**

**[CN] Sweet dreams, My Lady**

Marinette flipped the phone closed, turned off the light, and drew the covers up to her shoulders. That night, boys with messy hair and beautiful smiles filled her dreams.

* * *

Next time:

* "Yes! I think I got it!"  
* "This is the most valuable lesson she can learn."  
* "You want to know what I want? I'll tell you what I want."


	10. I'll Follow Where You Lead Me

"Marinette, can you come down to the bakery for a few minutes and watch the front, please? Your father needs my help with something."

"Be right there, Mom!" Marinette put down the fabric she was cutting and headed down to the bakery. "What do you need?" she asked when she arrived.

"Just watch the front; I'll be helping Tom load a giant cake into the van for delivery."

Marinette went to the register and started helping customers. Saturday mornings were usually busy, but not overwhelmingly so. People lazily strolled in throughout the morning, either picking up a late breakfast or some bread for lunch or dinner. The steady pace of the bakery calmed Marinette's nerves and got her to a Zen state.

An old man came to the counter and greeted Marinette in Chinese, startling her. Marinette responded in French, "Sorry, I don't speak Chinese that well. Can I help you?"

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry," the man responded. "I was in here the other day and had some _nai wong bao_. The woman behind the counter then - that was your mother, I presume? Mrs. Cheng?"

"Yes, sir. I'm her daughter, Marinette. It's nice to meet you." The two shook hands.

"I'm Mr. Chou. Likewise. Do you have any other traditional Chinese delicacies?"

"Sometimes Mom makes pineapple buns, and in the fall she's made mooncakes, but that's it for the bakery. At home, she makes really good Chinese food a lot. My uncle is the chef in the family. He doesn't live here, though."

Just then Sabine arrived from the back. "Mr. Chou! It's lovely to see you again! How are you doing today? Marinette, Mr. Chou is new in the neighborhood."

"I'm doing great, thank you. I stopped by to ask if there were any Chinese community centers nearby. I was hoping you might know."

"There is a small group that meets every fourth Saturday at the library around the corner… but it looks like you just missed it, since that was last week."

"A shame! I will have to be patient some more, it looks like."

Sabine smiled at Mr. Chou. "Tell you what - we always have an extra seat at our table. Would you like to come by tonight and share a meal? We're having roast duck tonight."

"I would be honored to be your guest, Mrs. Cheng. What time should I arrive?"

"Be here at six. We'll be waiting!"

* * *

Marinette had spent the rest of her morning agonizing over clothes. After quickly sewing accessories for the battle of the bands, she figured out what to wear for the afternoon. Settling on a pink Jagged Stone t-shirt and faded blue jeans to go with her usual pink flats, she examined herself in the mirror.

"For the last time, Marinette, you look _fine!_ I've never seen someone get so worked up for a guitar lesson before!" Tikki said from over Marinette's shoulder.

Marinette moved a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know, Tikki… I know. I just want to wear something different for once..." She leaned forward and began to fix her makeup.

It was a few minutes before 3:00 PM when Sabine called, "Marinette! Your friend is here!"

Marinette squeaked and went downstairs to meet Luka at the door of the apartment. She found him standing just inside the doorway, carrying his guitar and a notebook. He had a black Nirvana t-shirt on with blue jeans. "Hey!" she said, greeting him with _la bise_.

"I'll let you two kids have fun," Sabine chuckled. "I'll be downstairs in the bakery if you need me." She left the apartment and closed the door behind her.

"Hey, yourself," Luka responded. "I like the shirt! Pink really is your color."

"Aw, thanks! Your shirt isn't bad, either. Can't go wrong with the classics," she grinned. "What have you been up to all day?"

"Cleaning," he admitted. "Mom may not be much for rules, but if we don't show up to help clean the boat on Saturday mornings, we wind up with extra swab-the-deck duty. It only took me once to learn that lesson. My forearms were sore for a week! How about you?"

"I helped out in the bakery this morning and then put together some accessories for the band. Want to see them?"

"I'd love to!"

"Great, wait here. I'll bring them down." She went up to her room, where Tikki gave her a big grin and a thumbs-up. Marinette shook her head, smiled, and returned downstairs with some dark blue and purple lengths of fabric. "What do you think?" she asked.

"These are fantastic! So, I'm guessing these are the bandannas and scarves from your sketches?" He grabbed one and tied it around his arm. "I love it!"

"Thanks. You'll have to give it back, though, I'm not done."

"I'm definitely going to keep it when you are. You can sign it for me. The great, talented Marinette! I'll put it on my wall."

Marinette blushed. "Maybe don't go _that_ far… besides, you're pretty talented yourself! How about you show me what you can do on that guitar?"

"I thought I was coming over here to show you what _you_ can do on this guitar?" he teased.

"By all means!" She sat down on the couch. "What's the first thing we do?"

Luka placed the guitar in her lap and squatted down in front of her. "Go ahead and hold the guitar like you were playing it." Marinette picked up the guitar and mimed strumming it. "Good. See, you're a natural!" He laughed and took her left hand in his. "Let's start you out with some easy chords. This one's a G major," he said, moving her fingers in place.

Marinette felt her face heat up as she watched Luka's hands move over hers. When he was done, he said, "There. Now, strum all of the strings - oh wait, you don't have a pick. Hang on." He fished in his pocket for a few seconds and pulled out a few Euro coins, some lint, and a blue Jagged Stone guitar pick. "Here we go. You hold it like this," he demonstrated before handing it to her.

She took the pick and strummed the strings. Dissonant, clunky sounds came from the guitar.

"Don't get discouraged; everyone sounds like that starting off. Here, let's try again. Try to keep your fingers curved so you're only pressing one string at a time." He moved her fingers back into position. Marinette took a deep breath and strummed the guitar again. Brighter, almost-recognizable-as-a-guitar sounds resulted.

"You're getting the hang of this! Let's try that again," Luka smiled.

* * *

In his apartment on the right bank of the Seine, Fu Wang was getting himself ready for the meeting of a lifetime.

_I have to see her - she has to have noticed by now that the magic that protects the Guardian is fading. I don't know how much time either of us will have left. Marianne Lenoir has always been my closest confidante and friend, even when I haven't been at my best. I hope she forgives me for keeping us apart for so long._

* * *

"Yes! I think I got it!"

"That sounds great, Marinette," Luka enthused, listening to her strum a G major chord. "Let's give your hands a break… I don't want you to get blisters on your first day."

Marinette looked at her hands. The fingertips on her left hand were red and dented from pressing down on the guitar strings. "Oh!"

Luka showed Marinette his fingers. "You'll get callouses eventually, see?"

"I had no idea!" she said, running her fingers over the tips of Luka's. "Yes, let's rest. Can you play that song you were playing the last time you were over?"

"I'd love to." He stood up and walked behind the couch. Leaning over, he reached around Marinette so he could play the guitar on her lap. Blushing slightly, his fingers moved over the neck of the guitar and he began to play.

Marinette closed her eyes and listened to the music. She leaned her head slightly against Luka's chest and sighed.

After a couple of minutes, Luka whispered, "Do you still think this could be a love song, Marinette?"

She could feel his breath hot on her neck. Turning her head toward him, she brushed her lips against his. "Yes," she whispered back.

Marinette moved her head closer and captured Luka's lips with hers.

* * *

"You shouldn't have come, Fu."

"I had to, my love. There are too many things I need to tell you."

"We have to wait until Hawk Moth-"

"No, we cannot wait. It's even more important than Hawk Moth. Marianne… how long have we known each other?"

"Why, it must be at least 110 years now. I've been following you around the world for half that time, at least," she teased.

"A time for which I will always be grateful. But I'm afraid that our journey together is coming to an end."

"What do you mean, Fu? Don't tell me that you will have to flee again?!"

"It's not that," he said wistfully.

Marianne reached out and put her hand on his arm. "Tell me," she said gently.

"There is a new Guardian. The magic that has sustained us… it will sustain her, now. And us…" he smiled sadly. "There are so many things I wish I could say to you. So many things I wish I _did_ say to you. And now… we are out of time. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Marianne. You deserved so much more than I gave you."

"Fu," she whispered. "You gave me so much, whether you realize it or not. As the Guardian, you could have held yourself aloof from other people and been in hiding for all of your years. But instead, you found me, and you shared as much as you could with _me_. You gave me adventure. You gave me travel. You gave me _life_. I should have been dead and buried a century ago. But here I am. Here _we_ are. And wherever you go… whichever life you will pass to… I know that I will follow you there, too."

Fu looked at her, eyes glistening. He reached up and wiped the tear rolling down her cheek. "You have always been so good to me, Marianne. You helped me shoulder a burden that I have carried for far too long. Thank you for all of that and more."

"And this new Guardian? Who will help her shoulder that burden?"

"I have to teach her. She is so young… younger than I was when I became Guardian. She is talented, strong, and mature. But… I worry that she will make the same mistakes I did. She has someone to be her partner, to sustain her… but they are not quite there yet."

"Have you told her about your mistakes, so she cannot repeat them?"

"She will be the last of the Guardians if she repeats my mistake. The entire Order… wiped out because of me. For her to repeat that… it would be catastrophic."

"You must tell her," Marianne insisted.

"I... can't."

"It has been one hundred and sixty-five years, Fu! How long are you going to hold on to this? For your sake and for the new Guardian, _you must forgive yourself._ Open up to the new Guardian. If you trust her as much as she needs to be trusted, then this is the most valuable lesson she can learn."

Fu fell silent and considered her words. _She's right, of course. She always has been._ "I'll… tell her."

"Good. Now, what are the other things you need to tell me? Something about Serket, I imagine?"

_She's as smart as ever._ "Perhaps. I think that Serket may have an as-yet-unheard-of Miraculous. I don't know who would be behind this. And… I think Serket is after _me_ specifically, not just the Miraculous. This is different then back in the War, when we had to go into hiding to protect the Miracle Box. Now… this seems personal."

* * *

Adrien met Kagami at the door of the Agreste mansion. "Let's go to the cafe around the corner," he suggested.

"Hello to you, too," she said. "Won't you get recognized there? I seem to remember someone being plastered all over social media the last time they left the house."

"Oh, sorry… I forgot my manners. Hello!" he chuckled. "I have an arrangement with the cafe owner. If I let him know far enough in advance, he'll hold a table for me in the back corner so I don't get mobbed."

"That sounds nice! Do you go out to eat at that cafe often?"

Adrien frowned. "No, actually. Father rarely lets me out of the house. Nathalie only set this up for me last week, and tonight's the first night I'm taking advantage of it."

They reached the cafe. Adrien waved to the owner on his way in, and the owner directed the pair to a dimly-lit booth. Adrien waited for Kagami to sit down, then slid in across from her.

"You mean to tell me that you never get to leave the house?" Kagami said, amazed. "How on earth do you function in life?"

"Well, my room has everything I need for entertainment - you saw how it is…"

"No, I mean _socially_."

"Um… I watch a lot of movies?"

"That's not… you know," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose, "this explains a _lot_."

"What do you mean?"

"Adrien, don't take this the wrong way… but regardless of your looks and your talents, you're not the most socially aware person."

"Huh? Look, if you're talking about me forgetting to say hello to you earlier, I'm sorry about that. But Father has always made it a point to make sure my manners are flawless. _Nobody _can say that I'm not socially gracious."

The conversation paused while they ordered their dinners from the waiter. Kagami ordered a large hamburger and French fries; Adrien ordered a light salad. "Socially gracious is not the same as socially aware, Adrien. You're aware of others' feelings and have the appropriate reactions, but you come across as 'the nice guy' so much that nobody really knows what to do with you! I've said this before, and I think you need to hear it again: _What do you want?_"

_Kagami's probably intentionally trying to get my temper up to see how I would react. Let me just count to ten before answering so I don't fly off the handle_-

"And I know what you're doing, Adrien. You're putting everything back in a bottle so you can give me some filtered version of what you're thinking… or worse, what you think I want to hear. I'll tell you what I want to hear: the _real_ Adrien Agreste. Now," she commanded.

Adrien opened his mouth, then shut it. Blushing, he started, "You want to know what I want? I'll tell you what I want. I want freedom. I want someone to share everything with. I want someone to actually give me a gift that comes from their heart instead of from a secretary. I want to see what it's like to live without everything at my beck and call. I want somebody to love me for who I am and not what I look like or what I do." The words rushed out of him like water from a fire hose. "I'm sorry. You probably think I'm selfish."

Kagami reached across the table and took Adrien's hands in hers. "Adrien, you're not selfish for wanting something for yourself. That's just knowing who you are."

"What about you? What do you want?"

"I want…" she smiled mischievously. "I want a nice, handsome boy who knows what he wants. I want someone who challenges me, and someone I can challenge and who won't be offended. I want a strong, powerful love… the kind that could set my heart on fire and make me want to come back for more."

"Wow… you've thought about this a lot, I guess," Adrien said lamely.

The waiter arrived with their food. Kagami picked up a French fry and took a bite. "I know what I want. And I refuse to wait for everyone else to make the first move. So, when I want something… I go and get it. Nobody else is going to help _me_ first."

Adrien poked at his salad with his fork. "And if you want something and can't get it?"

"Hasn't happened yet," Kagami said confidently. "Although sometimes I have to be persistent because my target is being stubborn… or oblivious," she teased.

Adrien looked at her, his face a question mark.

"_You_, Adrien. You've been my target for a while now. I'm glad you're finally starting to see the light," she grinned and took a big bite of her hamburger.

* * *

The doorbell rang at six o'clock sharp. Marinette answered it to find an old man with silver-grey hair, about her height, dressed smartly in a dark blue button-down shirt and grey slacks, with black shoes. Around his neck he had a small sapphire pendant that resembled a bird. "Welcome, Mr. Chou! We're glad you could make it. Please, come in." She showed Mr. Chou into the house, where dinner was waiting on the table.

Sabine showed Mr. Chou to his seat. "We're glad you could make it tonight. Mr. Chou, this is my husband Tom Dupain."

Tom and Mr. Chou shook hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dupain."

"My wife tells me that you're new in town, Mr. Chou. What brings you to our fine city?"

"I'm here to try and locate an old school acquaintance of mine. He's been difficult to track down, but I think I've finally got him in my sights." The old man smiled and took his place at the table.

* * *

Next time:

* "I've got some… important things I need to share with you."  
* "I don't want this to change our relationship or come between us in any way..."  
* "Just keep doing what you're doing."


	11. Pools and Reflections

Early morning photo shoots were not Adrien's favorite thing. Early morning photo shoots when Adrien spent most of the night tossing and turning were even lower on his list. The theme of this photo shoot was "Fun at Daybreak", and Adrien couldn't think of a place he wanted to be less.

"Adrien, you look distracted! Honestly, this is _not_ your best work!" The photographer set the camera down. "I'm giving you one minute to compose yourself, or I am going to cancel the shoot and leave you to explain to Gabriel why we could not proceed!"

Adrien was dressed in a polo shirt and swim trunks, standing next to a luxurious swimming pool. He took a deep breath and let it out, drawing upon his fencing training to center himself. "Sorry, sir. I'm good now." _The last thing I need right now is to have Father mad at me. I'll focus now, but I've gotta talk this out with… somebody. And soon._ He plastered a smile on his face and readied himself to follow the photographer's instructions.

* * *

Sunlight bore down on Marinette's bed from the skylight. _The one disadvantage of having a loft bed,_ Marinette grumbled to herself, turning onto her side and pulling the covers over her head. Dinner with Mr. Chou had ended around ten o'clock, with Sabine and Mr. Chou exchanging stories in Chinese while Tom and Marinette sat there awkwardly.

While the night had gone later than expected, it was the events of the previous afternoon that flooded Marinette's mind. _Did I really expect to kiss Luka when I invited him over here for a guitar lesson? Did *he* expect me to kiss him? Well, whatever we expected, that's what we got, and I'm not complaining at all!_

_This was the first time a boy's actually been interested in me - Marinette me - and made the effort to show it! Nathaniel and Chat Noir crush on Ladybug. I heard a rumor that Nino was planning on asking me out when Alya and him got locked in the animal exhibit at the zoo. But Luka… Luka SHOWED ME. He was so sweet at the ice rink, when I asked him to go on the date and we wound up getting in that mess over Adrien. So understanding. And he was willing to give me a second chance after I botched it!_

_Oh… Adrien. I'll always carry a torch for him, but will he ever be more than just a friend? I feel like I could tell him anything and share everything with him… if I could just talk to him the way I talk to Luka - or even Chat Noir! Chat is like my best friend and I can talk to him with or without my mask... as long as I don't reveal all of my secrets._

_With *Luka* though - I can be myself and get as personal as I want… as long as I pretend Ladybug doesn't exist. Romance comes easy with him, which is a huge plus. I've wanted that for a long time. He knows that he wants to date me, and I don't have some stupid crush getting in the way every time I open my mouth._

_Luka's even sincere about teaching me guitar, too. We could have spent the rest of the afternoon making out - and we almost did! - but he still took the time to write down what he taught me so we could remember it next time. Although at this pace, I'm going to be a very slow learner! Still, he wants to teach me about himself… he wants to show me things in his life that I can be a part of… and he actually *does* it. I'm sharing fashion with him, and he's sharing music with me. He's amazingly creative, and I'm glad I have that in common with him._

She closed her eyes and smiled, remembering the previous day's events dancing in her mind. After half an hour, she yawned and stretched. _I should get up and get moving… Kitty wants me to call him at ten, and I have no idea what time it is now. Why I committed to get up early on a Sunday is beyond me..._

* * *

The rest of Adrien's photo shoot went well. Despite no fewer than ten outfit changes and a tight deadline, they were able to get enough shots that the photographer was satisfied. After Adrien's bodyguard drove him home, he went up to his room to shower and change his clothes.

As the hot water bore down upon him, he closed his eyes. _Kagami isn't the first girl who said that she was interested in me… but she *is* the first girl to tell me that without throwing herself at me and screaming her undying devotion. It was… different._

_She's a nice girl, and she seems to care about me. I feel like she was expecting more from me last night, but I'm not sure exactly what more I could have given her. Father made sure to teach me courtship etiquette. "Not that you'll need it for a few more years", he said. We slowly get to know each other in formal settings. Somehow… I don't think that's the right way to go with Kagami. She is patient, but she definitely goes to get what she wants, when she wants it. She doesn't wait for the right time, she *makes* the right time._

_So what am I supposed to do? If I move forward with Kagami - and she told me that I should be - then I'll have to drop what I have for Ladybug. And that will be a shame… because I really feel like we're starting to connect as partners in a way that we haven't in the past. She makes puns now, for goodness' sake! If I squint, it actually looks like she flirts back. I don't want anything to come between the two of us. I care about her, and she cares about me._

_Maybe I can play this two ways - if Kagami and Adrien become an item, then Adrien loses his feelings for Ladybug. But Chat Noir…_

The buzz of his flip phone interrupted his train of thought. He turned off the water, dried himself off, and read the message:

**[LB] Hey, Kitty. You available to get together?**

**[CN] I'd love to, Bug. Meet at the Tower in 30?**

**[LB] See you there. /(%)\**

**[CN] =^.^=**

_I hope I figure this out soon… I don't want to hurt anybody. Kagami is probably pretty resilient and has targets B, C, and D planned out if I turn her down. But I'd never forgive myself if I hurt Ladybug in any way._

* * *

_I'll never get tired of this view,_ Ladybug thought. She was gazing out on Paris from her perch on top of the Eiffel Tower. _My city. I've been the guardian of Paris for over a year now, along with Chat Noir. I've been the Guardian of the Miraculous for about a week, and that's a burden I'll have to face by myself. Master Fu seemed happy, even though he was most likely lonely. And that woman he loved… she seemed devoted to him, even though they couldn't be together for a while._

A noise below her alerted Ladybug to her partner's arrival. Scrambling up the side of the Tower, Chat Noir greeted her. "Hello, My Lady! Such a beautiful view," he commented.

"Silly Kitty," she laughed. "I'm glad you could make it. I've got some… important things I need to share with you."

"Share away, My Lady."

"I met with the Guardian on Friday night. We already know that Serket is a new Miraculous holder. What I was worried about was if her magic could affect us. You and I both know we could jump to the ground from where we are right now and land without as much as getting the wind knocked out of us. But akuma magic… Miraculous magic… that's a whole different story. Both of us are vulnerable to it, and I wanted to make sure you understood that before you got in between me and Serket's Sting." She lowered her eyes and looked away. "I don't want you to go through what Alya went through when she was Stung. You've taken a lot of hits for me, but this is one I don't want you to take."

"It's my job," Chat Noir said simply. "I'm your protector. I look out for you so the akuma can get purified."

"You're my _partner_, Chat Noir… _we_ look out for _each other_ so Paris can be safe," she corrected him. "I don't care what people say or how many other heroes we might need to recruit to beat Hawk Moth… _you are my equal._ We _need each other,_ Kitty. Please… just stay away from Serket's Sting."

The flirty comeback died on Chat Noir's lips. _She really means this… I wonder why I'm getting The Talk all of a sudden._ "My Lady? What's the matter?"

Tears welled up in Ladybug's eyes as she considered everything that had happened in the past week. _I have to tell him. He deserves to know._ "Kitty… something happened the other day that turned my _whole life_ upside down. I haven't really had a chance to talk about it with someone other than my kwami. I can't talk about this with my parents, my friends, my…" She stopped before she said the word _boyfriend_. "I'm hoping my partner will understand. Can I borrow your ears?"

"Anytime, Bugaboo." He hopped down to a girder, sat down, and patted the beam next to him.

Ladybug sat down beside him and sighed. Gathering her thoughts, she started slowly: "I… um… something happened that you need to know about. It's something important to me. I'm still processing it, and to be honest part of me is thrilled, and part of me is honored, and part of me is terrified… _oooh, I'm a MESS!_" she blurted out.

"Take your time," soothed Chat.

"I just… I don't want this to change our relationship or come between us in any way, Chat. You're important. You're important _to me_. I _need you_, more than I've probably ever realized or said in the past. You're my partner, and you're the only person I can talk to about this sort of thing. Do you understand?"

A whirlwind of thoughts invaded Chat Noir's mind. _She needs me! She said it. But the tone of this conversation… if we were dating, I would think this was the Breakup Speech. The "it's-not-you-it's-me". But we're not dating. Is *she* dating someone else? Her civilian life is getting romantic, so it's back to business only between us? She's my best friend on this side of the mask… but she hasn't used that word yet. Only "partner". Here I am, thinking we made some progress beyond that…_

"Kitty?" Ladybug waved her hand in front of his face. "You still there?"

"Yeah… sorry about that."

"I get it. So… do you understand?"

"I… think? But I'm going to miss how close we've gotten, Ladybug."

"What?! Where did _that _come from?"

"You're giving me the Breakup Speech. Which is amazing, since last I checked, we weren't even dating… unless you count beating up giant monsters a _date_…"

"CHAT NOIR! Were you not even _listening?_" She smacked him on the shoulder, then laughed. "You sweet, sweet dork. Didn't I say that I don't want anything to change between us?"

He thought back. "Oh. You're right. Sorry."

"Don't apologize, Kitty. I'm taking too long to get to the point." She took a deep breath. "Master Fu has named me as the new Guardian. And it's going to happen soon. Like, days or weeks soon. Neither of us know exactly when. And I have to learn everything he knows and find out about Serket and fight akumas in the meantime and also try to have a normal civilian life, and…"

Chat Noir pulled her into a tight hug. "It's OK, Bug. That's got to be a lot of pressure for you. Want to talk it out? When did he tell you?"

"Just Monday night," she mumbled into his shoulder. "He chose me as the new Guardian right before Backwarder. He didn't mean to, it was just something he said while he was sick and in pain. But it accidentally transferred responsibility from him to me."

"Wait, he was _hurt_?"

"Nothing serious, just some gas pain, but it was enough for him to think he was dying. He told me to take care of the Miracle Box - that's where the Miraculous are stored - and gave me a prescription to fill for him. I botched that and gave it to the wrong person, though… anyway. If it was an accident, then does that mean that I'm not worthy to be the Guardian? What if he meant for someone else to be the Guardian, and I stole the opportunity? What if I _fail?_"

"Ladybug, _stop._" Chat Noir commanded. "I don't want you to get down on yourself like that. I've seen you in action. You chose _three_ new Miraculous holders in the past year. They've all done an amazing job. You're taking me under your wing and making sure I'm included with the whole Serket investigation. You _care_ about people. You _care_ about Paris. You _care _about the Miraculous. I can't think of anyone more qualified." He stopped as he realized that Ladybug was crying into his shoulder.

After a few minutes, Ladybug hiccupped and wiped her eyes. She sat up and looked Chat Noir in the eye. "Sorry about that, Kitty. I didn't mean to fall to pieces on you."

"My Lady… _anybody_ would be overwhelmed by that. You're allowed to fall to pieces occasionally."

"You're so sweet, Kitty. Thank you for listening to me."

"Do you feel better? Is there… anything else?"

She shook her head. "Nothing for now." She gave him a hug. "I should get going, though. I normally sleep late on Sunday, but if I don't make an appearance at home soon my parents are going to start to get worried. How was your thing this morning?"

"It was good, but I'm ready for a cat nap. Text me if you need anything, Bug."

"I will, Kitty. Thanks again."

* * *

Chat Noir swung through his window and de-transformed. _I've had a busy last day… hopefully I get some time to sort through things._ "Plagg? How about some cheese?"

"You don't have to ask me twice, kid! I _looov_… hey, wait a minute! You're setting me up for something, aren't you?"

"I just have a lot on my mind. Can you help me out?"

"Sure, kid. Talk to me," Plagg said around a mouthful of Camembert.

"OK, here goes… so last night, Kagami and I went out to dinner, and she basically told me that she's been after me for a while. That's nice… and I appreciate it! I really do! She's just so matter-of-fact about it and straightforward… I don't think I've seen anything like that in any of the movies I've watched."

"Which was part of her point last night - you've learned a lot socially from movies. That's not exactly real life."

"I know! What if something like what I see in the movies doesn't exist in real life? I mean, Kagami is into me, and she's just… blunt about it. Father loves me, but he's cold and distant. Should I try that? Love and relationships aren't just… just… _business transactions_, are they?"

"You've seen other relationships, right? Those aren't the only two people you have to go on, you know."

"But those are the only people I have to go on _for me_. Sure, Nino and Alya have their thing, but that's because of _who they are_. Marinette and Luka… I don't know enough about them to know what love looks like. I know what love looks like for you and Camembert… but the cheese always seems to get the short end of the stick," Adrien grinned. "Besides… one other thing bugs me. It seems like Kagami likes her vision of me… not me who I am. She barely knows me! It's like Father… he wants me to be somebody I'm not, too. Plagg… I'm so _confused_."

Plagg watched Adrien flop backwards onto his bed, balled-up fists pressed to his eyes. "Look… kid. Adrien. If you think Kagami doesn't know you, then you should let her get to know you. You've spent, what, a couple hours together total? That's not enough time to get to know people. I know you're used to love at first sight and things like that, but love grows over time. See what Kagami has in store for you. Maybe you'll surprise each other."

"That makes sense, Plagg."

"Great, so we're done here?"

"Not yet… something else came up, too. What can you tell me about the process of choosing a new Guardian?"

Plagg hummed. "Not much. There used to be a big formal ceremony, where all of the candidate Guardians were lined up. Then the current Guardian would signal which one would be the next. Pretty simple, actually."

"_Candidate_ Guardians…? So there was an election, or something?"

"No, nothing like that. I just meant the students who had completed the studies necessary to become a Guardian. The current Guardian and the Masters of the Temple knew which students were the best. It wasn't acceptable for the students to bribe the Guardian, or campaign to be the next Guardian."

"Oh… so when Master Fu chose Ladybug to be the next Guardian, what happened?"

"There was some magic transfer of responsibility between Master Fu and Ladybug. I think that's it. The magic just means that she's bound to the Miracle Box now, and will feel more of a natural desire to protect the Miraculous… but honestly, the best candidates already had that desire. I don't think that will be anything new for her."

"Guardian Ladybug… given what I've seen since we got our Miraculous, I think I understand a bit as to how this is a big responsibility. How can I support her?"

"Just keep doing what you're doing, kid. It's what she needs right now."

* * *

Far below Adrien and Plagg, an observatory window opened onto Paris, and a purple butterfly made its way across the city.


	12. Butterflies and Hurricanes

**[LB] Akuma! This one's at Notre-Dame. See you there! /(%)\**

* * *

Outside the famous cathedral, a man calling himself "The Welder" was brandishing a welding stick. "I'm not good enough for my job, eh? Well, I will show all of Paris what it means to be a good welder! The bonds I am creating will _never_ come apart!" And to demonstrate, he blasted two people who were huddling together for cover, causing them to stick together where they were touching!

Chat Noir peered down from the top of the building and softly whistled. "I don't think this one's going to give himself up anytime soon, My Lady."

Ladybug popped her head over his shoulder and frowned. "What's up with akumas sticking people together lately? Hawk Moth needs to get more creative."

"What do you think, Bug? Go for the wand?"

"Even if the akuma's not in there, it's his primary weapon so we should definitely get it away from him. Ready?"

"Let's go!"

* * *

Ten minutes into the battle, Ladybug and Chat Noir made their first mistake. Attempting a maneuver to cross behind each other, they were unable to dodge The Welder's blast and found Ladybug's left leg stuck to Chat's right. Rolling to the side, they were able to twist out of the way of the blasts that followed them and took shelter behind a large tree.

They attempted to pry themselves apart to no avail. Chat's eyes gleamed. "Looks like you're -"

"_Save it_, Kitty." Ladybug rolled her eyes, but smiled despite herself. "Let's put an end to this. _Lucky charm!_" A fishing net appeared in the air. "I guess… we trap the akuma? Once we do that, you can Cataclysm the wand. Sound good?"

Chat Noir hummed an affirmative and summoned Cataclysm.

"We'll use the Frightningale offense, except we'll have to be careful not to be hit by any more bolts this time."

"Sounds like a _dodgy_ plan, My Lady," Chat grinned.

"You couldn't help yourself, could you? Come on!" They stood up in tandem and came out from their hiding place. They advanced on the akuma as a pair. With Chat's right leg being longer than Ladybug's left, running was difficult, and they stumbled every few steps.

"On my mark, Chat… _now!_"

The duo leaped up and prepared to snare the akuma in their trap. As they descended, net at the ready, Serket landed behind the akuma and cracked it over the head with her _was_ sceptre! Chat attempted to roll out of the way mid-air, but the additional weight of Ladybug attached to his side threw him off-balance. The pair spun out of control like a crippled helicopter, landing in a heap about ten feet away from the stunned akuma. Chat's Cataclysm accidentally hit a lamppost, causing it to fall over and pin the heroes to the ground! The breath momentarily knocked out of them, the heroes could only watch as Serket snatched the akuma's stick and snapped it in two, freeing Hawk Moth's butterfly and causing the man to transform back to a civilian!

Ladybug scrabbled for her yo-yo, but couldn't reach it as fast as she needed to. Her hand scraped against Chat's leg in her attempt to retrieve the yo-yo pinned underneath them. _Crap-crap-crap!_ She thought. _The akuma's going to get away and multiply, and then our job is going to get 1,000 times worse!_

"_Scorpion's Sting!_" called Serket, causing the end of her sceptre to glow.

_She's not going to Sting that man, is she? He's just a victim of Hawk Moth, like everybody else!_ "Ugh, Kitty… get _up!_"

Chat Noir groaned and stirred, shaking his head to clear it.

Serket looked at the duo, held up the sceptre… and Stung the escaping butterfly.

The butterfly disappeared in a bright yellow flash of light.

"You're next, hero." A chirp from something on Serket - _that's her Miraculous timer_, Ladybug realized - and she leaped off in the air.

"Wait! Ugh! Shoot! _Miraculous Ladybug!_" Ladybug tossed the net into the air, unsticking Chat Noir from her and moving the lamppost back into place. She scrambled out from under her partner and tossed her yo-yo in an attempt to follow Serket, but she lost sight of the villain and couldn't catch up. Her earrings insistently chirping, she settled on a rooftop and de-transformed. Pulling out her flip phone, she sent a quick text and gave a cookie to her kwami, the events of the past twenty minutes racing through her mind.

* * *

Deep in his lair underneath the mansion, Hawk Moth screamed.

The pain was so bad that he collapsed on the floor and vomited. Writhing in agony, his designer sensibilities didn't have time to care that he was soiling his costume. He didn't have the capacity to care about anything other than the psychic explosion that had just detonated inside his head.

So Hawk Moth screamed.

Agonizing seconds turned into minutes as the pressure built in Hawk Moth's brain. Tears leaked involuntarily from his eyes.

After ten minutes, the pain had died down enough for him to attempt de-transforming.

After twelve minutes, he was finally able to pronounce the words "Dark wings, fall."

That was a mistake.

Without the additional protection of the Miraculous, Gabriel's mind exploded again, as if someone had set off a strobe light in the center of his brain. Unable to focus on anything except the searing pain, he instinctively crawled slowly toward where he knew the passage to his office was located.

He curled up on the platform and let it whisk him away, hoping with all the mental energy that he could spare that Nathalie was on the other side.

* * *

**[LB] Timed out, give me a few minutes and we'll meet up /(%)\**

Adrien read the message and waited for the sound of chewing on his shoulder to stop. "You ready, Plagg?" Hearing his kwami hum in agreement, he replied to his partner's text.

**[CN] Me too. Good now? =^.^=**

**[LB] Yeah - meet me on the Tower in 5?**

**[CN] Pont des Arts is closer ;-)**

**[LB] -_- **

**[LB] see you at the Tower, Kitty**

_She never changes_, Adrien chuckled to himself. Double-checking that nobody was looking, he transformed and sped toward the top of the Eiffel Tower. _She said five… I bet I can get there in three._

* * *

The hidden platform in front of the painting opened, causing Nathalie to jump a bit. What startled her more was the sight that greeted her. Gabriel Agreste, fashion icon, demanding boss, and supervillain… laying on the ground, shaking. She ran over to him and moved to sit him up. Recoiling at the blood and vomit stains on his otherwise impeccable suit, she gingerly placed her hands on his back and moved him to an upright position. "Sir… what happened?"

Gabriel could only look at his assistant with pleading eyes and slowly shake his head.

* * *

A slightly winded Chat Noir was waiting for Ladybug when she made her way to the top of the Tower. Before he could say anything, she smacked him on the shoulder and said, "It wasn't a race, dork."

They sat down next to each other and Chat started the conversation: "So… Serket. I think we knew she wasn't exactly on the side of truth and justice from the first time she showed up… but this is next level. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for the assist today, but that poor butterfly."

Ladybug shuddered. "I wonder if that affected Hawk Moth in any way. He does have a psychic connection with his akumas… does that carry over to the butterflies? I'll have to ask Master Fu if he knows."

"Good Guardian information," Chat confirmed. "But back to Serket… what do we do? I have no idea how good a combatant she is… she just shows up and leaves. Or shows up, Stings somebody or something, then leaves. We haven't got a chance to interact much with her."

"I have no idea, Kitty. I just don't want to be unprepared the next time she shows up. Let's go over what we _do_ know about Serket. Do you have time?"

"I always have time for you, My Lady. Let's start with the basics: her first visit, right down below."

* * *

"_Serket,_" Gabriel whispered.

"I don't understand, sir. Was she here? Did she attack you somehow?"

Gabriel nodded. "Psychic… connection… akuma. Stung… it."

"Do you need me to help you to your bed, sir? Or get you a doctor?"

He slowly shook his head. "Need… Guardian."

"Sir, you haven't found the Guardian yet. I don't know how you plan on doing that."

"Get… me… Ladybug. Chat… Noir. They… help me."

Nathalie stood up and cleared her throat. "As you wish, sir." She assisted Gabriel to his feet and sat him in a comfortable chair. After double-checking to make sure he was relatively okay, she hurried out of the room, her phone in her hand. Before she made her phone call, she sent the Gorilla in to the office to help get Gabriel cleaned up and presentable.

* * *

After a solid hour of hashing and re-hashing everything she and Chat Noir knew or guessed about Serket, Ladybug returned to her room and de-transformed. _Ladybug showed up twice today,_ Marinette thought to herself. _I'm exhausted… I'd rather not make it a hat trick. And speaking of hats… I've gotta keep working on the outfits for the Battle of the Bands, otherwise, they're never going to get done! I already got the easy stuff out of the way with the scarves… should I do the shirts or the pants next?_ She pulled out her sketchpad and studied it thoughtfully. _The shirts… no, the pants! Ugh, Marinette… just pick something and start, and the rest will come!_

She reached for her sewing kit and started cutting fabric according to the measurements she had taken the last week. A pair of black pants with a single neon green stripe up the side of each leg began to take form, then another, and another.

_Only three more to go… well, at least Ivan's going to be wearing shorts behind the drum kit. I could use a break, though._ She picked up her phone and fired off a text message.

**[Marinette] Hey you, what's up?**

Pocketing her phone, she went downstairs to the kitchen and started looking for a snack. She passed on the bowl of peaches, instead opting for a banana. Heading back upstairs, she saw the new message notification on her phone and plopped down on her chaise to read it.

**[Luka] Not much, how are you doing?**

**[Marinette] Oh you know, only recovering from one of the best days of my life yesterday. You? You're not on swab the deck duty, are you? :)**

**[Luka] Ha ha, no, thankfully… spent most of the day practicing for our next guitar lesson. You up for it?**

**[Marinette] We may have practiced G Major last time, but you gave me A Major thrill. When's the next lesson?**

**[Luka] uh… ok… how about tomorrow night?**

**[Marinette] Can't… I have some family stuff going on. Tuesday afternoon?**

**[Luka] It's a date! I'm glad you're liking the lessons so far. I'm enjoying them, too. Had a great time yesterday. I know I've said this before, but you're a special girl.**

**[Marinette] Stop it, you! You're making me blush.**

**[Luka] It's a good look for you.**

**[Marinette] If you're good, you'll see it again Tuesday. ;)**

* * *

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news… fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste has put out an urgent call for Ladybug and Chat Noir to appear at his mansion as soon as possible! We don't know the reason behind this, but his assistant called us to ask that we put the word out. We're sending a van over to get to the bottom of this, but in the meantime: the Heroes of Paris are needed at the Agreste Mansion."

* * *

"Plagg, what do you think this is all about?"

"Who knows? Maybe he wants your blessing for some clothes or something. How long do we wait before you jump out the window?"

"Let me text Ladybug first. We should meet somewhere and arrive together."

* * *

Marinette was tapping out another reply to Luka when her phone buzzed. _Crap… that's my *other* phone! What does that cat want now?_

**[CN] don't know if you saw… we're being summoned **

**[LB] where to this time? I've barely had my spots off all day!**

**[CN] tell me about it. I still haven't got that cat nap. :(**

**[CN] the Agreste mansion. Mr. Agreste is asking for us. **

_The AGRESTE mansion? With ADRIEN?! Wait, calm down, Marinette… you're not supposed to be crushing on him anymore! You can handle being around him. Besides… it's his father who wants to speak with you. With us. You can do this!_

**[LB] meet you there in ten minutes /(%)\**

* * *

_Ten minutes, huh? I bet I can make it in… less than one. _Adrien chuckled to himself and tossed some cheese in Plagg's direction. "Eat up, buddy. This has been an interesting day. I can't see how it could get any more interesting…"

* * *

**[Marinette] something came up, sorry. I have to go. Text later?**

**[Luka] I'll be waiting**

**[Marinette] :-***

**[Luka] ;-)**

She put away her phone and, for the third time that day, called for her transformation.

* * *

Chat Noir was waiting for Ladybug outside of the Agreste mansion. "Not a word, Kitty. I told you earlier that it wasn't a race," she teased, booping him on the nose. They walked to the front door and knocked. Nathalie Sancoeur answered and bade them entry.

"Mr. Agreste -" she coughed sharply "- is waiting in his office. Please, follow me."

Looking at each other and shrugging, they followed her into the large room. Gabriel was sitting in a high-backed chair near the abstract portrait of Emilie Agreste. His hands were lightly cupped and holding something in his lap. Instead of his normal blazer, tie, and slacks, he was wearing a white Gabriel track suit.

"Hello," he rasped. "I'm glad you could come."

Alarm bells went off in Chat Noir's mind. _Father sounds weak and like he's barely keeping it together… what's going on?_

"Mr. Agreste. We came as soon as we heard," Ladybug said. "How can we help you?"

"I have something to show you two," Gabriel responded quietly.

Ladybug and Chat Noir moved closer.

Gabriel raised his hands and extended them, revealing the purple object in his hands.

"NO!" shouted Chat Noir. He growled and grabbed for his staff.

"That's… that's..." stammered Ladybug, pointing vaguely at Gabriel's hands. Her eyes met his and she shook her head slowly, stunned.


	13. Bad Luck

"This is Nooroo," Gabriel said, indicating the shivering kwami in his hands. "He's the kwami of the Butterfly Miraculous."

Chat Noir held himself steady even though internally, his entire world was crashing in. _Father… knows what a kwami is? He knows what Miraculous are? He knows about the Butterfly Miraculous? How did he get that kwami? The Butterfly Miraculous has been lost for most of known recent history, according to Master Fu. How did Father get it?_ His brain was trying to keep up with his questions, but Chat Noir didn't like the answers that were forming.

Ladybug aggressively pursued the truth. "Where did you get him? What's happened to him?"

"Patience, Ladybug. I will answer the first question in time. The second one… I will answer now. You will need to take him to the Guardian to be healed. I know you know what happened to the last akuma. The Sting from Serket caused a great deal of psychic backlash. Nooroo absorbed the brunt of it, since I was transformed. I… have also been affected."

Chat Noir began pacing the office. He burst out, "Transformed? Affected? What are you talking about, Fa - Mr. Agreste?!" His voice rose with every word.

"Chat Noir. _I_ am Hawk Moth," Gabriel said with finality.

"No, you couldn't possibly be Hawk Moth!" Chat was practically yelling now. "You - you were akumatized! I remember… we were here! The Collector! Before that, an akuma almost _killed_ you by making you jump off of a roof! Akumas have targeted your _son_ on at least _three_ occasions!" He stopped pacing and whirled on Gabriel. "It's impossible!" his voice trembled.

"I assure you that not only is it possible, it's the truth," Gabriel said indifferently.

"But… why?" Ladybug asked.

"That is a long story. But before I tell it to you, I owe you something."

"You owe us a lot more than _that,_" spat Chat Noir. Ladybug looked at him with concern.

"Ladybug… on the table behind you is a white box. In it is the Butterfly Miraculous. Please return that to the Guardian when you take Nooroo to be healed." His shaking hands passed the kwami over to Ladybug.

"Why are you giving us the Miraculous _now_? I thought you wanted our Miraculous so you could rule the world?" scoffed Ladybug as she picked up the box and examined the brooch inside. _I can't tell if this is authentic or not… but the fact that Nooroo is here is a pretty good indication. I never saw Mr. Agreste with a brooch before, but that doesn't mean he couldn't have concealed it somehow. We'll have to be very careful… if this is a trap, we've pretty much just walked right into it._ Her mind shifted gears before she could stop it. _If this turns into a battle, we'll have to make sure Adrien gets out of harm's way quickly. I wonder if he knows? Poor Adrien… first his mother disappears, and now his father's a supervillain. I'll have to check in on him… if he'll see me. If it were me, I'd want to hide under the biggest rock on the planet! _She shook her head to clear her mind, and opened her yo-yo. She gently placed Nooroo and the Butterfly Miraculous inside, then closed it again.

"I never wanted to rule the world," said Gabriel. He paused. "I only wanted your Miraculous for the wish that it would grant. You will have your hands full enough with Serket that combatting an akuma at the same time will most likely result in your destruction, Serket stealing the Miraculous for herself, or worse yet, the destruction of the Miraculous."

"You wanted our Miraculous for a _wish_…?" Ladybug started. "But… why? What wish?"

"To save my wife," Gabriel responded.

"Save _your wife_…?" Chat Noir said, on the border of hysteria.

"To save my wife. Emilie Agreste fell irreversibly ill due to the power of a Miraculous, and it's only the wish that will save her."

"B-b-b-but… she disappeared! Nobody knows where she is! She went on a vacation and never came back! Everybody knows that!"

"That was just a cover story. Emilie has been here in the mansion for this entire time, trapped in a magical sleep. I'll take you to see her in just a moment if you would like to confirm my story."

It was too much for Chat Noir. Growling and tearing at his hair, he resumed pacing. "This isn't _possible!_ She's _alive?_ And you're a _supervillain_ trying to get her back? And you _destroyed Paris repeatedly_ \- and almost _killed your son_ in the process? This can't be true! None of this can be true!" Without any warning, he flung his staff out a window, shattering it. He leaped after his staff, caught it in midair, and vaulted off into the night.

"Chat Noir! _Chat!_" Ladybug ran to the window and peered out. She turned to Gabriel. "I need to go after him. But mark my words, Mr. Agreste, or Hawk Moth, or whatever you're calling yourself - this isn't over. Not by a long shot." She flung her yo-yo out in pursuit of her partner and streaked away in a blur of red.

* * *

Yo-yo swinging from roof to roof, Ladybug called out "Chat!" every few seconds to see if he would answer. After over an hour of searching for him, she dropped on a roof. She checked the tracking app on her yo-yo for a sign of her partner, but got no result. Out of frustration, she called for her Lucky Charm. _Maybe this will lead me to him._

A red-and-black candle fell from the air. "Ok, _fine_, I'll go see Master Fu!" she grumbled. "I just need to check on Kitty first!" Her earrings started chirping. She de-transformed, got a cookie out of her purse, and handed it to Tikki. She then dug back in her purse and pulled out her flip phone. She started composing a series of texts. _Please, Kitty… please, please, please..._

* * *

Chat Noir ran.

He leaped from roof to roof and vaulted if the jump was too large, but most of all, he ran. The wind in his ears wasn't enough to drown out the memories of his father's voice from earlier that evening, so he ran faster. He ran to escape the memories of the akuma attacks, the memories of the times his father missed dinner, the times he was called away from time with friends to fight…

When he could run no longer, when the weight of those memories caught up with him and pinned him down, he de-transformed and collapsed on a roof. The moonlight from the Paris night sky spotlighted young Adrien Agreste, teen idol and one of the most recognizable faces in the city, curled up against a chimney sobbing. Plagg nestled underneath his chin and purred in attempt to comfort his charge.

"Why, Plagg?" Adrien finally said, his voice small. "Why did he do that to me?"

"I don't have an answer, kid. Chances are if he knew you were Chat Noir, it would just be worse since he'd just take your Miraculous… or even try to force you to fight with him against Ladybug."

"Why didn't he tell me about Mother?" he whispered.

Plagg didn't have an answer to that.

"Nathalie, too… she _knew!_ _She knew!_ She could have _told me!_"

"She probably was acting on orders from your father," Plagg pointed out.

"All of this… right under my nose… Mother…" Adrien sobbed again. His flip phone buzzed. "Crap," he said. "I've gotta let her know I'm ok. I'm not sure I even know where I _am_, but still…" He pulled out the phone and flipped it open. "Huh, I must have missed some messages." He read:

**[LB] Kitty? I hope you're ok**

**[LB] I know you've got your ears off since I can't find you on the tracker**

**[LB] and that's ok**

**[LB] I don't know what happened or what's going on but I'm here for you if you need to talk**

**[LB] just text me back and tell me you're ok and I'll stop Lady-bugging you /(%)\**

**[LB] gotta see master fu but I swear I'll drop everything for you, just tell me when**

**[LB] please let me know you're ok**

Adrien smiled and wiped his eyes again. _She's so sweet. I know tonight was rough on her as well, and I just left her to deal with it by herself. She has every right to be mad at me for ditching her, but here she is._ His thumbs danced over the keys.

**[CN] I'm here and I'm safe, Bug. Far from ok but I'll get there =^.^=**

**[CN] thanks for checking in. I'll get there. text you later, ok?**

**[LB] :) so glad you're safe. ttyl /(%)\**

* * *

Marinette flipped her phone shut and let out a deep breath. "Tikki… what could have set him off like that?"

_I can think of one really, really big reason,_ the kwami thought. _But there's no way on Earth I can tell you right now. Maybe Master Fu will give you permission… after all, as the Guardian, you'll have to know who all the Miraculous holders are. But in this case… I don't know if it's the right call. You still fall to pieces around Adrien, and knowing that he's Chat Noir would throw your partnership way out of balance._

"Tikki?" Marinette prompted.

"Sorry, Marinette," Tikki answered around a mouthful of cookie. She swallowed and continued, "I imagine it was the stress of finding out who his nemesis was after all this time. I know Chat's protected Adrien a few times in akuma battles, so maybe they're close." _Closer than you realize._ "You're the level-headed one of the pair, and Chat is more of a force of nature. It's natural that you two would react differently." _That's as close to the truth as I could safely get._

Marinette hummed and carefully placed the phone back in her purse. The Butterfly brooch and Nooroo were still nestled in there. "I know my lesson with Master Fu is tomorrow night, but we've gotta get over there now before Nooroo gets any worse. Master Fu will have to teach me about healing kwamis eventually anyway," she sighed. "Come on, Tikki, let's go."

She called for her transformation and swung away toward the right bank of the Seine, where hopefully more answers than questions awaited her.

* * *

Ladybug landed in front of Master Fu's apartment building and entered. She quickly de-transformed in the stairwell and knocked at his door. Master Fu opened the door cautiously and said, "Marinette! Come in! I wasn't expect…" His words faded as he saw the stricken look on Marinette's face. "Tea. You need tea. Come, come." He pulled her in and closed the door.

Once they were seated in the kitchen, Fu poured Marinette tea from a kettle on the stove. "Tell me what is troubling you, Marinette." In response, Marinette opened her purse and took Nooroo out. Fu's eyes opened wide as he took in the kwami's appearance. "He is not well… he must be seen to immediately. Finish your tea. I will meet you in the main room."

Marinette drank her hot tea as quickly as she could. _This never fails to relax me._ When she finished, she ran to the main room, where Fu was kneeling over Nooroo. The kwami was laying on the mat with the grimoire opened next to him. There was a small gong and mallet next to Fu.

"Marinette, we must hurry. I will show you how kwamis are healed. It is a matter of strengthening their connection to the Miraculous. I assume you have the Butterfly?"

Marinette pulled it out of her purse and handed it wordlessly to the Guardian.

"Excellent, thank you." He placed the brooch next to Nooroo and picked up the grimoire. "The incantation to strengthen the bond between a kwami and a Miraculous is right here. Repeat after me, please." He began to speak some words in something that resembled Chinese.

Her limited Chinese skills notwithstanding, Marinette successfully followed along. At the end of the incantation, Marinette picked up and lightly tapped the gong.

Fu smiled. "I will have to teach you how to read the grimoire. There is so much you can learn through its study. We will commence that tomorrow night. Now… tell me how you came into possession of the Butterfly Miraculous."

Marinette related the events of the afternoon with Serket and evening with Gabriel Agreste to her mentor. When she described what happened to Gabriel, Fu nodded. "Hawk Moth… well, Mr. Agreste is very lucky. He could have been injured much worse than he actually was. Magical injuries are not something to trifle with, and can only be fixed in the most extreme circumstances."

"Master Fu… Mr. Agreste said that he wanted to use a wish to heal his wife. That's why he wanted the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. Why won't Lucky Charm heal her? Why didn't it heal Alya? Why wouldn't it have healed Mr. Agreste?"

"You remember what I told you about the wish back when we first discussed it, yes?" Fu asked. Marinette nodded. Fu continued, "There must be balance in all things. When you use Lucky Charm to create something, it is by necessity only temporary. Your Lucky Charms are all designed to expire or be destroyed at some point."

"But Miraculous Ladybug… that's permanent."

"It's permanent in the sense that it is reversing effects of destruction. It is restorative, not creative, even though it uses the creative energies that helped form the Lucky Charm."

"So how is that different than the wish?"

"The wish is permanent because it is balanced in its nature. It combines the powers of Creation and Destruction. Creation to fulfill the wish; Destruction to take the balance. Does that make sense?"

Marinette nodded. "How does one make the wish?"

Fu smiled. "That is a lesson for another time. There are things I need to… teach you about first. There are fragments of the steps in the grimoire, but you will have to know how to decipher it first. We start tomorrow night." The finality with which he said it indicated that the subject was closed.

"What will happen to Nooroo?"

"I will return the Butterfly Miraculous to the Miracle Box. Nooroo will join his fellow kwamis there. He will be celebrated and allowed to rest for a season. And speaking of rest, Marinette… you have had a long, difficult day. You must go home and rest now. We will meet here again tomorrow night."

* * *

Marinette thanked Master Fu and left his apartment. Once she reached the street, Tikki poked her head out of her purse. "You're not going to use Ladybug to get home?"

"I need to clear my head, Tikki. The walk will do me good."

"This isn't the way to your house, though!"

"I know. There's something else I need, too." _Something I can only get from one person._

Twenty-five minutes later, Marinette arrived at the houseboat. She could hear a guitar faintly playing on the deck. "Luka?" she called softly.

The guitar stopped playing, and Marinette heard footsteps. "Marinette!" Luka whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I… need you right now."

"Sure, what's up?" He extended his hand and helped her onto the deck.

"I can't talk about it. I just need… this." She embraced him and buried her head into his chest.

"Are… you're crying," he said, a touch of fear in his voice. "Marinette, _what happened?"_

But she only cried more and didn't answer. Luka felt a buzz against his hip. Marinette wiped her eyes. "Sorry," she said. She pulled a flip phone out of her purse and read the message. Smiling, she tapped a quick response and put the phone away.

"Marinette. Please, I want to help you. What was that?"

"I… can't tell you. It was something important with… ugh, I can't explain. Just… trust me on this one for now, okay?" She nestled up against him and said, "Please… hold me."

* * *

Against his better judgment, Adrien was back in his bedroom. He locked his door and pushed his chair up against it to keep any unexpected visitors out. _I guess with Hawk Moth out of the picture, I'm technically safe... but to be honest, I just don't want to deal with Father right now. Or ever. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive him. I've heard of "the ends justify the means", but this is going way too far._

_I feel so stuck! I can't talk to Ladybug about this as Adrien because she doesn't know that I know. I can't talk to her about this as Chat Noir because she doesn't know that Chat Noir is Adrien. I'm starting to get really sick of this "secret identity" thing._

_C'mon, Agreste… think! There's got to be someone I can talk to about this. I don't know where the Guardian is located or how to get in touch with him… which really stinks right about now. He's the only one I know of who knows me on both sides of the mask. But then again… Ladybug is the new Guardian, so she *should* know who I am… if she doesn't already… but again, that's a secret identity dance I don't want to do again._

_OK, so… can't get in touch with the Guardian, probably shouldn't let Plagg out of my sight if Serket is still on the loose so using him to get to the Guardian is out… can't talk to Ladybug about this… well… actually, maybe I *can*._

He pulled out his flip phone, tapped out a message, and waited.

**[CN] Hey… just dropped in on Adrien. Can you visit him tomorrow for me? He's not doing the greatest.**

**[LB] of course. will check in on u tmrw too**

_Things are never going to be the same after tonight._


	14. Coded Texts I

"_Marinette! Can you come down to the kitchen and help out, please?"_

Sabine Cheng may have been petite, but Marinette would put her voice on par with a lion's roar any day of the week. Grumbling and rolling out of bed, Marinette called back "Coming!" and threw yesterday's t-shirt and jeans on before descending through her trap door.

"Oh, thank you so much, honey… we have a special order to prepare, and I need to hurry up downstairs. This quiche only has a few minutes left on it, can you please keep an eye on it and pull it out when it's done?"

Bleary-eyed, Marinette nodded something that resembled "yes" - she hoped - and sat down at the counter.

"Thanks, honey! You can go back to bed afterwards, I promise." She picked up the bowl of peaches that was on the counter and took them downstairs. "It's a shame I have to use these for that special order - Mr. Chou was telling me just the other night how much he loves peaches." With that, she left the apartment and closed the door behind her.

_Go back to bed… right… this was just her way of making sure I don't sleep past -_ she checked her phone - _eleven o'clock. Holy crap, it's that late already?! Oh, this isn't good… I've gotta check on Adrien and Kitty today, and then I've got to go to Master Fu's tonight! Let's see… what's a good excuse to get Ladybug to swing by Adrien's place? Not that she needs one… but Ladybug doesn't have Adrien's number, and she might want to check if he's home. Ugh… I hope I haven't left that poor boy just sitting somewhere waiting for me! What to do, what to do…! I'll tell you what to do, you need to stop overthinking things and just make a decision._ She pulled opened the messaging app on her phone and tapped at the screen.

**[Marinette] Hey - sorry if I'm waking you up. Ladybug dropped by to check up on me and asked me to see if you're home and ready for a visitor.**

She set the phone down and took the quiche out of the oven. The incoming message alert tone almost made her drop the hot pan, but she managed to recover before it hit the floor. She carefully placed the quiche on the stovetop, turned off the oven, and went back to her phone.

**[Adrien] No worries at all - I've been up for a while, actually. She's welcome to come over as soon as she wants.**

_Crap! I should have been over there looking out for him. He's been through too much -! And look at me, being the worst friend ever, not even asking to see how he's doing! I shouldn't know if anything's wrong, but I did just text him out of the blue for the first time in forever and didn't even try being a friend._

**[Marinette] Great, I'll let her know. How are you doing? Been a few days.**

**[Adrien] Things are kind of crazy around here. You still owe me a fitting for the band outfit, we should probably do that sometime soon.**

**[Marinette] Oh, right. I've got most of the pants put together. I'll do your shirt next and then you can come over and we'll see how it looks. Sound good?**

_You're doing an excellent job of keeping it together, Marinette - keep it up, girl, you got this! Without that crush in the way, you can actually talk to that poor boy like you're a real, actual human being!_

**[Adrien] Sounds great. Thanks. Text me when the shirt's done and we'll meet up. Deal?**

**[Marinette] It's a deal. :) Talk soon**

She pocketed her phone and went back up to her room. "Ready to go?" she asked Tikki. Her kwami squeaked an assent, and Marinette called for her transformation, climbed out her skylight, and for the second time in less than a day swung off toward the Agreste Mansion.

* * *

Ladybug perched in the open windowsill and called into the bedroom. "Adrien?"

A blond head poked itself out from the bathroom door. "Ladybug! Hey! Yeah, come on in." Adrien stepped into the room and gestured to the couch. "Have a seat!"

She walked over to the couch and sat down. After an awkward pause, she said, "Chat Noir told me he checked on you yesterday. Adrien, I'm so sor-"

He raised his hand and sat down next to her. "It's OK. Neither of us knew. And... you've done such a good job of saving me whenever I needed it. From Chloe's mom, to my bodyguard, to Kagami…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just wanted to thank you for all of that. Being a superhero is hard work, and I know you're adored by so many people… I just wanted to make sure you heard it from me, directly. _Thank you for saving me._ Thank you for checking up on me. It means a lot."

_Well, *this* isn't what I was expecting! I didn't know if I was going to get Adrien crying on my shoulder or telling me about his father… but this certainly wasn't on the list of possibilities! He's probably a total mess inside and is still being so sweet. _"You're welcome. I hope it's something that any superhero would do, though. Chat checked up on you first," she pointed out. "Now tell me: _how are you doing?_" She leaned back and faced him, crossing one leg under the other.

Adrien smiled. "You got me. I've actually been up for most of the night, not sleeping. When I found out… well, you can imagine. I didn't take it well. I eventually wound up here and barricaded myself in. Still have," he chuckled, indicating the chairs up against the door. "Honestly, I'm not sure I can face him again."

"How did you find out?"

_Oops._ "Um… I was listening on the other side of the office door. I heard you, um, and Chat Noir of course, were coming over, and I wanted to know what you were up to without disturbing Father's business." He laughed nervously. "Man, Chat really didn't take it well! When he left, I booked it to my room before anybody could see me. Somebody - Nathalie, I think - knocked to tell me breakfast was ready earlier, but they haven't pressed the issue."

"So what do you plan on doing? You can't stay holed up in your room for the rest of your life. And it's summer break! You should be outside - as much as you can be without your bodyguard, that is." She shared a smile with Adrien, remembering the Gorizilla incident.

Adrien drummed his fingers on his leg. "I can't go to any of my friends' houses without telling them what was going on. My options there are limited, anyway. Nino's out of the country for the summer, Chloe wouldn't leave me alone, and my other friends are girls, so that would be weird."

"You have a girlfriend?" Ladybug blurted out. _AAAAGH! Can I take that back?_

Adrien's face pinked. "Heh, not really? At least, I'm not sure. Anyway, she wasn't who I was referring to. You know Marinette, right? Well, of course you do, you were just at her house. She's an amazing friend, and if she had a spare room, I'd totally take her up on it! But her parents would probably frown on having a semi-permanent boy houseguest..."

Ladybug tried to get her brain to reboot. _He likes me enough to stay with me? Is that even an *option*? And we *do* have a spare room! Wait... focus, Ladybug! I think he asked you a question._ "Hmm?" she said, trying to act casual.

"I said, how long do you think until the story breaks that Gabriel Agreste is… was… Hawk Moth?" He folded his hands in his lap and looked downward.

"Sorry. That's a good question. I know _I'm_ not going to tell anybody anytime soon. _You're_ not, and I imagine that Chat's not going to, either. So how many other people know? Your father's assistant did. I'm not sure if your bodyguard knows. Right now, everybody who knows would have their life ruined if word got out, so I think your secret's safe." She reached out and put her hand on his forearm.

"That's a good point. OK, one less thing for me to worry about… for right now, at least."

"What else are you worried about? How can I help?"

_She's amazing._ "Well… there's work, of course. I don't know how that will go. Father put all my earnings into a trust fund… not that it matters. But if he gets exposed as Hawk Moth, then who knows what will happen there? I don't need much money… and I can do without all of _this_ -" he swept his arm around his room "- since this is just what other people have wanted for me. I'm actually looking forward to the chance to do what I want, for _myself_, for once."

"Like going to school!" she said brightly.

"Yeah, exactly! Like going to sch…" He faced her, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Hey, how do you know about that, anyway?"

Ladybug blushed. "Oh! Um… Marinette must have told me."

"Really? Marinette talks about me?" He brought his finger to his chin and started tapping.

_This is a disaster! Keep it together!_ "Um, well, I know you two are in the same class, and I've bumped into her after saving her a few times and saving you a few times, so we try to keep up! It's all part of being a superhero!" Ladybug babbled. "Anyway… what else do you want to do?"

"Well… I'm not entirely sure. Just… _be_. I like fencing, so I'll probably keep up with that. Piano… not so much. I'll figure something out. I've got all summer!" He blushed a bit and paused. "Speaking of… what are _your_ plans for the summer, Ladybug?"

"Saving Paris, generally. Even if Hawk Moth's out of the picture, there's Serket to worry about now. I'll have to keep an eye out for her. Aside from that… just being a teenager as much as possible! Helping my parents out, hanging out with friends… the usual, I guess," she shrugged.

"Well, if you need help being a superhero or being a teenager, let me know." He grinned mischievously. "My schedule's really opened up in the past twenty-four hours."

"Um… sure! As much as I can. The mask's gotta stay on, and I have a feeling that no matter what you've been through, the possibility of being seen in public associating with a superhero will only cause you more problems. Tell you what… let me see your phone."

He unlocked his phone and handed it over. Ladybug tapped on the screen and handed it back. "Here. I've added a way you can contact me. Keep this an absolute secret though, OK? Text me whenever you want."

_I'm great at keeping secrets, My Lady. You have *no* idea._ "You… gave me your phone number?"

"It's not my civilian number, so don't worry. Think of it as… a Bug-phone."

Adrien laughed heartily. "You know what, Ladybug? I really like your sense of humor."

Ladybug smiled wide and blushed again in response.

* * *

Ladybug dropped through the skylight in her room, de-transformed, and flopped on her bed.

"Tikki, what was all that? I thought Adrien would be like… in pieces, or something! Instead, he was like… _hitting on me!_ That's gotta be from shock, or something." She paused, considering. "...Right?" she added in a small voice.

_Oh dear, I don't even know where to *start* with that one. _"Marinette, I think Adrien was being sincere. He recognizes that you've done a lot of work to save Paris from his fa… from Hawk Moth. You've also saved _him_ on more than one occasion. It's completely understandable that he would turn to you for some support. You're probably the only person he has that he can talk to about the whole situation."

"Yeah, you're right… but still… _he said he would live with me if he asked!_ All I would have to do is -"

The incoming message alert on her phone chimed. She pulled it out and checked it.

**[Luka] Hey you… feeling better today? Want to talk?**

"See, Marinette? You're just starting a good relationship with Luka, who really likes you. And you really like him back! If Adrien moved in here, even as just a roommate, that would probably end anything you have going."

Marinette hummed in response and texted back.

**[Marinette] Doing better today. I'd love to talk to you… well, text you, that is. :) Hope that works :)**

"No, of course it would… you're right, Tikki. I just got to a place where I'm really happy with a boy instead of just being frustrated and stammering!"

Her phone buzzed. She checked the phone in her hand for a new message, but there was nothing there. _Strange,_ she thought… then the buzzing happened again. _Oh crap! That's the Chat-phone!_ She pulled it out of her purse and flipped it open.

**[Adrien] Thanks again for checking up on me, I appreciate it**

"Tikki! We've got a situation here!"

"Hang on, let me get some popcorn," the kwami giggled.

Her regular phone chimed. "_Waaaaagh!_ Not funny, Tikki!"

**[Luka] I miss your voice… but I understand. Glad to hear you're doing ok. So what was that all about last night?**

"I'll just answer these in the order received. Your text messages are very important to me, boys…" Marinette said as her fingers worked over the keyboard on her flip phone.

**[LB] That's what friends are for. Anytime you need me, ok?**

...and then returned to tapping on her regular phone.

**[Marinette] It's complicated. Got some bad news about a friend. Nothing I could really do to help him or comfort him, and just felt helpless. Ever feel like that?**

Her regular phone chimed.

**[Adrien (to Marinette)] Thanks for checking in on me earlier, and thanks for sending Ladybug over. I don't know how I would have gotten through this morning without you.**

"_TIKKI!_ Does he mean Marinette-me or Ladybug-me? Does he know I'm Ladybug?"

**[Adrien (to Ladybug)] Careful, I might hold you to that.**

Marinette's heart started racing. _TH-BMMP. TH-BMMP. TH-BMMP._

**[Luka] Why yes actually… last night comes to mind.**

"My goodness, that poor boy! I guess I can understand, though."

**[Marinette (to Adrien)] I'm glad to hear it. I don't think I did much, though?**

She picked up her other phone.

**[LB] I mean it! /(%)\**

"Oh crap, Tikki! I haven't checked in on Kitty yet, either!"

**[LB (to Chat Noir)] Kitty… hey, how are you doing this morning? Been busy, haven't had a chance to check up on you. You getting to ok at all?**

Tikki could only shake her head as Marinette attempted to juggle four text messages with two boys who thought they were texting three different people. _I'm going to need a scorecard when this is all done… and headache medicine. Chocolate works for headaches, doesn't it? I've got an emergency stash of cookies somewhere…_ Tikki floated off to Marinette's desk for some relief.

**[Marinette (to Luka)] Sorry, hot stuff. I didn't mean to worry you. Thanks for being there for me :-***

**[Adrien (to Ladybug)] Do you do like regular teenager things? Video games, movies… stuff like that**

**[CN (to Ladybug)] Getting there. Have some friends outside the mask helping me. You?**

"_Tikki! Does he mean outside of his mask or outside of MY mask?"_

**[Adrien (to Marinette)] You did. You're a good friend and I don't think I could ever repay you.**

"See Tikki! Adrien thinks I'm _just a friend_ still! I'm OK with Luka!"

Tikki wound a scarf around her head to try to block Marinette's increasingly frantic voice. _I'll just let them sort this all out. They'll get there, right?_

**[LB (to Chat)] Getting there, too. Thinking of you. I meant it when I said I would drop everything for you, Kitty /(%)\**

**[Luka] You know where to find me. We still on for tomorrow?**

**[Marinette (to Adrien)] Of course. Just keep being you, hot stuff! 3**

Marinette blinked and re-read the message she just sent, then gibbered at the screen. "Tiikkiii… I just messed up, _big time._ Tikki! Where are you! Helllllllp!"

**[Marinette (to Luka)] Of course. Just keep being you, hot stuff! 3**

**[Marinette (to Adrien)] I mean of course like I don't need repayment. You deserve it :)**

"If I don't mention it, maybe he'll forget about it…" she mumbled to herself. Her flip phone buzzed, causing her to jump.

**[CN (to Ladybug)] I'll try to not abuse that too much… but you'll need someone to drop everything for now that Hawk Moth is out of the picture, right? =^.^=**

Marinette rolled her eyes. _He *must* be feeling better if he's back to flirting._ Grinning, she started to compose a message. _Oh wait! Adrien's probably waiting on a reply from Ladybug… let me do that real quick._

**[LB (to Chat)] Hmm. What did you have in mind?**

No sooner did she hit SEND that she realized she mis-sent another text. _That one's harmless… I think._

**[LB (to Adrien)] The usual stuff, I guess. What did you have in mind?**

Her phone chimed.

**[Luka] That's the only person I know how to be. See you tomorrow at 5!**

_One down, three to go… you can do this, Marinette!_

**[Adrien (to Marinette)] You're very kind. I'll find something, though**

**[Marinette (to Adrien)] I won't say no. gtg help my parents right now but text me later if u want :)**

"See, Tikki!" she yelled, oblivious to her kwami's predicament. "I can be just a friend to Adrien if that's what he wants!"

**[Adrien (to Ladybug)] Let me think on that. Want to do something special for you. I'll be in touch :)**

**[CN (to Ladybug)] Maybe we can do something to grab Serket's attention? Other than just existing, that is**

**[LB (to Chat)] Just existing might be enough to keep our hands full. I'll think on that. gtg for now… Bug out /(%)\**

* * *

Adrien flipped his phone closed and looked at Plagg, who was shaking his head in disgust.

"Kid, do you mean to tell me that you just _asked Ladybug out as yourself_, _flirted with her as Chat Noir_, and also _flirted with Marinette as yourself?_"

"I know what I'm doing, Plagg. I can handle this. After all… it's time for me to get what I want, right? Well, I'm going after Ladybug, one way or the other. Marinette's dating Luka, in any case, so I can be a good friend to her, like she's been to me! Even though she _did_ call me _hot stuff_..."

"Kid… all I have to say is… you freaking deserve what you get." He floated away, munching on a piece of Camembert.

* * *

Tikki had her arms folded, floating above Marinette's face. "Well, well, well! This is some love square you've gotten yourself into, isn't it?"

"Love square? This is more like a love pentagram, Tikki, because I must be in some sort of hell."


	15. Coded Texts II

The doorbell chimed and Sabine looked up to see a Japanese girl leading a blind woman into the bakery. "Hello! How can I help you?" she called out.

The woman smiled. "Your bakery smells delicious. I'm Mrs. Tsurugi. We ordered a batch of peach tarts for pickup today."

"Oh, yes! And thank you so much for the compliment! I hope that the tarts taste as good as you want." She rushed to the back and brought out a white box. "Here you go!"

"They look amazing," Kagami said, lifting the lid and peeking in the box. "Thank you for making these for us."

"It was our pleasure! Please come back the next time you need something!"

"We will be sure to," Mrs. Tsurugi responded. "Come, Kagami - we mustn't be late. Gabriel is expecting us."

* * *

Nathalie walked into the office with a stack of papers. "Are you certain about this, sir?"

Gabriel was rubbing his temples. "I have to, Nathalie. I don't know if I have been permanently affected by what Serket did to me. My head still feels at times like it will split in two." As if to illustrate the point, he lurched forward and grunted.

"Very well. I've made arrangements, and the Tsurugi family will be here at the time you requested." She placed the stack of papers on his desk. "I'll leave these here for you to -" she doubled over in a coughing fit.

"I fear your brief time with the Peacock Miraculous has taken its toll," Gabriel said sadly. "These are the same symptoms that Emilie had before…" he trailed off. "I'm sorry your sacrifice went for nothing."

"It would have been worth it, sir. If I stay away from the Peacock, I shouldn't get any worse."

"I hope you're right. Too many lives have been destroyed for this."

* * *

As dusk fell, Marinette transformed and traveled by yo-yo to Master Fu's apartment. Landing in an alley, she de-transformed and went up the stairs. She knocked on the door and waited. She was about to knock again when she heard a light thumping on the other side of the door. When it opened, she gasped at the sight that greeted her. "Master Fu, are you OK?"

The Guardian was dressed in his usual Hawaiian shirt and slacks, but instead of his cane, he had a crutch. His left ankle was haphazardly bandaged. He was clearly limping and not willing to put any weight on his left side. "I… tripped today while working around the apartment. It is nothing major."

Marinette swooped underneath his left side and helped him maneuver to the floor mat, where she supported him as he sat down. "It doesn't look not major, Master. Can I get you anything?"

"I am fine, Marinette. Please, sit down. We have a lot to cover in a short amount of time." He picked up the tablet next to him and began swiping through the pages of the grimoire. "We will start with the code that the grimoire is written in. It resembles Chinese, but the language is actually much older than that. Now, repeat after me…"

* * *

"Gabriel, it is wonderful to be meeting with you again tonight for dinner. What is the occasion?"

Kagami handed the box of pastries to Nathalie, who went to place it in the kitchen. "Will Adrien be attending?"

"Thank you for coming on short notice, Mrs. Tsurugi and Kagami. I promise to make it worth your while. As for Adrien, he is… indisposed at the moment. Please, sit down."

The Tsurugis sat down at the table. Kagami pulled out her phone and started tapping.

**[Kagami] Your father says you're sick. Is everything okay?**

* * *

Adrien was in his room, staring at the ceiling. He listlessly looked at the incoming message and jumped. "Plagg! Kagami talked to my father? What's going on?"

**[Adrien] I'm a bit under the weather, but nothing too serious. When did you talk to him?**

**[Kagami] Just now. Mother is here for another "fun" dinner meeting.**

Adrien paused, thinking hard. _What on earth would the Tsurugis be doing here? This is the second time in a week. I know she's on the board and everything, but I can't think of anything urgent that would require a meeting. Maybe it's some cultural thing I don't know about._

**[Kagami] Can I come up after dinner?**

**[Adrien] Probably not. Don't want to get you sick too.**

_I *really* don't want to deal with Kagami. She's nice and everything, but she's so direct, she could be a fashion photographer! I'd rather not be pushed right now._

**[Kagami] You can't get rid of me that easily :) I'll keep you company over text message at least and let you know what's going on down here. Hang on, dinner is being served…**

"Well, at least I'll have an idea of what this dinner is about." Adrien checked his door to make sure his improvised barricade was still secure, then turned on the television to play some Ultimate Mecha Strike III.

* * *

"The code doesn't change from page to page?"

"No, Marinette. It's an ancient language, not a cipher. The secrets that it contains are important, but the language is old enough that anybody untrained who tried to decipher it wouldn't get very far."

"OK, I guess that makes sense. So there's the kwami healing spell… what purpose does that serve? And how do kwamis get sick or injured, anyway?"

"Kwamis can't get sick in the same way that you or I can get sick. They require a certain amount of energy to maintain their bond to the Miraculous, so any time they have to tap into that energy, they risk being weakened or cut off from the Miraculous entirely. For example, when you brought Tikki here the first time, she was shivering and weak. This was because she had used extra energy helping you fight a water battle in the river and in the rain. This is also why you use that potion to power her up for water, ice, or fire battles."

"So rather than healing her like a doctor would heal her, we were… refocusing energy?"

"Very good, Marinette. We were tapping into the latent creative energy in the universe and using it to strengthen Tikki's energy reserves."

"So with Nooroo… we were working with the energy of… Generosity?"

"That is also correct, Marinette."

Marinette hummed. "Are there any side effects to using this energy? If balance must be maintained in all things, then surely there must be something noticeable happening."

"It's questions like these that help me know for a fact I correctly chose the next Guardian," chuckled Fu. "Yes, there are side effects. Usually, there is an increase in the immediate area of the concept. For example, when we healed Tikki, somebody else in the apartment building probably felt a burst of inspiration. Incidentally, that is why Tikki pairs exceptionally well with artists."

"Are there any other spells or incantations?"

"There are, but the healing spell is the most powerful one. It is at the foundation of all work with kwamis, since it strengthens their energy. The other incantation, the one that you know of, is the wish when you combine the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. That is outlined in the grimoire, and must only be used with the most extreme care."

* * *

"Dinner was fantastic, Gabriel. Now, please tell me the purpose of this urgent meeting."

Gabriel dabbed at his mouth with his napkin and smiled. "There have been some… interesting developments over the weekend that will require my taking a leave of absence from the company. Normally, something like this would require approval from the board of directors at large, however, since it is just myself, you, and Audrey Bourgeois, we will outvote her if she objects." He paused. "You will be at the helm of the company until I return."

"Gabriel, do not tell me that you are leaving your fashion empire completely?"

"This is only a brief leave of absence, I assure you."

"Why me? I'm honored and flattered, of course, but why not Mrs. Bourgeois?"

"Audrey is not in Paris one hundred percent of the time. You have that advantage. You are also spearheading our latest venture into Japan. It makes sense that you take full control while that is planned and executed."

"I… accept. I hope that I can fulfill your expectations and the expectations of the Gabriel customers."

Gabriel turned and whispered something to Nathalie, who got up and left the table. While dessert was being served, Kagami got out her phone and started sending a text. Nobody noticed the indecipherable smile that had found its way onto Mrs. Tsurugi's face. She bit into the peach tart and the tight smile became wider and wider until it nearly split her face in two.

* * *

**[Kagami] Apparently your father is stepping down for a bit. Mother is in charge for the time being.**

Adrien read the text message, then read it again and again until it made sense. _The backlash from Serket must have gotten to him. Either that, or there's something else going on. I'm not really sure I care too much either way… now that Hawk Moth is out of the picture, he's not a threat anymore. And I refuse to let him control me._

**[Adrien] Interesting. Hopefully your mother still wants to use me as a model :)**

**[Kagami] Is that all you think about? What about what we talked about… doing things for yourself? Besides, mother likes you just fine. She thinks you are very well-mannered. She'll take my word for it that you're pretty.**

_Umm… "pretty"? OK…_

**[Adrien] Thank you? And I'm working on the stuff for myself. Baby steps, one thing at a time**

**[Kagami] You need a bigger push. Tuesday night. Be ready.**

**[Kagami] More later. Back to dinner.**

* * *

"I think we have covered everything we need to cover. You will need to practice, of course. Here is a copy of the grimoire for you to study when you get home." Master Fu handed Marinette a flash drive. "I do not need to tell you how important this is."

"Of course, Master. Thank you." She put the flash drive in her purse and got up to leave.

"Marinette… wait." Fu Wang closed his eyes and pictured Marianne's peridot gaze urging him to share his truth. _If I don't tell her now, I won't ever tell her._ "I think it's time for me to tell you more about the destruction of the Temple of the Guardians. This is not a story many people know. I hope you can learn something from it."

Marinette waited patiently for Fu to continue.

"I was a Scholar at the Temple. I had spent my time studying and learning the secrets of the kwami and the code of the grimoire. I was, all modesty aside, the best the Order had seen in a long time. There were whispers about me being the next Guardian at a very early age. You understand, that is a lot of pressure."

Marinette nodded.

"The Warriors of the Temple were jealous of young, frail Wang. I was so terrible at fight training that I was almost kicked out of the Order. It was my talent as a Scholar that saved me. But as a result of that, I was constantly tormented and belittled. Nothing that the Masters and Guardian could stop - just a series of minor inconveniences that made my time there miserable and lonely. My only friends were this grimoire… and Sass."

"The Snake kwami?"

"The same. While you have met the kwamis briefly, my training as Guardian involved spending extended time with each of them individually to best get to know them. Sass became my confidant and my advisor.

"When I was made Guardian on my thirtieth birthday, I was determined to change the ways of the Order. No more would there be division amongst the Warriors and the Scholars. No other child would go through the same things I went through. I immediately abolished the Warriors and Scholars, chose new Masters from the top students of each, and went to work.

"It was too big a change, too quickly. There was rebellion. The Warriors who felt slighted immediately rose up and attempted to reclaim the Miracle Box as their own. They felt that I was overstepping my bounds as the Guardian, even though they had spent almost their entire lives training to protect me and swear their allegiance to me. Since I was alone, the Scholars were reluctant to assist me, but they fulfilled their obligation to keep the Guardian safe.

"They were no match for the Warriors and were quickly cut down. There was one Warrior who was determined to reach me. I was sequestered with the Miracle Box and a copy of the grimoire in a secret passage between the Guardian's chambers and the outside world. I panicked. I removed the Snake Miraculous and put the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous on. I recited the incantation for the wish as best as I could remember. I wanted everything to go away and return to normal.

"Either I was too broad in my wish or I did not get the incantation right. The Temple of the Order of the Guardians was destroyed and buried, killing everyone inside. I was very lucky to escape with the Miracle Box and my life. The grimoire was lost during my travels. I mourned it, but did not search too much for it as I considered it karmic repayment for my error."

"Is that what happened to the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous as well, Master?"

"Sadly, no. Other students were working to get to know Nooroo and Duusu as I was getting to know Sass. I was unable to retrieve their Miraculous before the destruction of the temple. I was able to track them to Paris, but was forced to go into hiding almost a century ago. I was attempting to give out the Ladybug Miraculous to prevent the War that was coming, but was found out by spies who wanted the power of the Miraculous for themselves. I've been living here under an assumed name ever since. You're the first Ladybug in a long time."

Marinette smiled. "How did you track the Miraculous to Paris?"

"Miraculous have a natural affinity for one another. I'm shocked that they weren't destroyed along with the temple, to be honest. I wandered the world, attempting to help out where I could, and the magic behind the Miraculous led me here."

"So the Miraculous have been in Paris for at least that time, then."

"At least, yes. I do not know how they got here, and one day I might find out. Nooroo is too weak to answer questions still, and if he was dormant for most of that time, then it is likely he does not remember. That is not my priority, though. Right now all my remaining energy needs to go into training you."

"You are doing a great job, Master."

"I'm glad you think so, Marinette. And here is the final lesson for the evening: When you choose a Miraculous holder, please be very considerate of the kwami's personality. Because I spent so long with Sass, I became influenced by him. He is responsible, but persuasive. The fact that he is also the kwami of Temptation can be a dangerous combination in the wrong hands."


	16. Strings and Threads

Tuesday brought with it a promise for Marinette that there was nothing to do today other than go over to a handsome boy's house and learn some guitar. _As far as to-do lists go, this one's pretty short and sweet… or tall and hot._ She smiled and got out of bed.

"This is the most willing I've ever seen you to wake up!" Tikki chirped. "Who are you, and what have you done with Marinette?"

Marinette laughed. "Tikki, I have _nothing_ to do today, except go over to a boy's house and watch him make beautiful music! If every day were like this, I don't think I would have _any_ problems getting out of bed! Speaking of…" She picked up her phone. "I should text Luka and see what time he wants me over."

**[Marinette] What time should I show up to play? :)**

"Ooh, someone _is_ in a good mood today!" Tikki commented.

Marinette laughed and twirled her hair, waiting for a response.

**[Luka] 1?**

**[Marinette] Sounds perfect. See you then! :-***

She pocketed her phone and went downstairs to eat breakfast. Sabine was at the counter enjoying a cup of coffee. "Hi, honey! I didn't expect to see you up for another couple of hours! Are you feeling ok?"

Marinette grumbled good-naturedly. "I just have a feeling that today's going to be a great day! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping…"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say it sounds like you are in love, Marinette! Let me see… another guitar lesson with Luka today?"

"That's right! I'm going over to his house at one this afternoon." She poured herself a bowl of cereal. "Mom, how soon after you met Dad did you know that he was the one?"

"Already having those thoughts, are we?" Sabine teased with a twinkle in her eye. Marinette pinked and added milk to her cereal. "Let me see… Tom and I met about 20 years ago. I was just finishing up University, and he had taken an apprenticeship at the local bakery. Every morning before class, I started going to the bakery for breakfast. Even though I fell in love with the amazing coffee they had there and the wonderful chocolate croissants, I kept going back there because of Tom. There he was, a large, friendly boy who loved what he did, and it shone through so much! It was infectious," she laughed. "It got to the point where I looked forward to seeing him more than getting my breakfast. He was so full of energy that I cheered up with even the thought of him! I realized that I wanted that boost every day, regardless of whether or not I was at the bakery."

"So… just like that? Love at first sight?"

"Not exactly, honey. It took a bit of work to get to know each other, and that was hard! Since he had to be up early every morning for the bakery and I was up studying late at night, we rarely saw each other outside of the bakery. When we did manage to steal some time together, it took some time for him to come out of his shell. Turns out, when he wasn't behind the counter of a bakery or slinging bread dough, he was actually very shy. I thought he was intimidating because of his size, but he thought I was intimidating because I was a girl who was interested in him."

"I have a hard time imagining Dad being intimidated by anything!" Marinette grinned.

"Well _now _you do, sure. But it took him a long time to develop that confidence. It was almost like he was one person in certain situations and another person in other situations. I wanted to make sure that I knew which one was the _real_ Tom Dupain before I really, fully gave my heart to him. It turned out that he was a bit of _both _people: loud and boisterous… but also sweet and shy at the same time. I'm sorry… I went off on a huge tangent there. Did that help, dear?" She reached out and put her hand on Marinette's.

"It did a bit, Mom. Thanks. You know, I think that's part of the reason why things never one hundred percent clicked with Adrien. I mean, I was totally ga-ga over him for the longest time - and part of me still is, to be honest - but I wonder if I was only infatuated with who he presented himself as. As I got to know him, he turned out to be a really sweet boy. We've become such good friends that it's hard for me to imagine dating him at this point," Marinette conceded. "With Luka, though… I have romance… we share creative stuff… I'm still getting to know him, of course, but he sees me and responds to me as more than a friend! And I think that's what I like about him the most!"

"It sounds like this ship is sailing, then!"

"I really think it is, Mom! Like I said, we're still getting used to each other, but I like Luka a lot! And it's more than just a silly crush, too… I think this is something a lot more meaningful," she blushed.

"Follow your heart, dear, and it won't steer you wrong." Sabine looked at the clock and sighed. "It's time for me to get back down to the bakery so your father can start the afternoon bread. It was good to talk with you, honey. Thanks for thinking of me." She got up from her chair, gave Marinette a kiss on the forehead, and left the apartment.

* * *

The rest of the morning passed in a whirlwind. Marinette finished putting the pants for the band together and started work on the shirts. She sang her favorite Jagged Stone song to herself as she marked, pinned, and cut the fabric. After a quick lunch, she showered and got dressed in a dark blue t-shirt and light blue denim capris and headed over to the houseboat.

"Ahoy there!" Anarka Couffaine called down from her perch in the crow's nest.

Marinette looked up at her and waved. "Hello, Mrs. Couffaine!"

"I've told ye a hundred times, lass, the name's Anarka. You here to see my son, Marinette? He be below decks in his room, go right ahead!"

"Thanks!" she called up as she boarded the boat. Marinette paused and looked at the compass in the cabin, smiled, and went down the stairs to Luka's room. "Hey, you!" she called out. She followed the sound of guitar music and found Luka sitting on his bed playing a soft melody.

Marinette leaned in and gave Luka a quick kiss on the lips. Standing up straight and laughing nervously, she said… "Ok... um… ready for a guitar lesson?" She sat down next to him on the bed.

"Sure! But first… tell me how you're doing! Everything OK with you and your… friend?" He looked at her with concern.

_Which one? Time to fudge the truth a bit. _"Things are getting better there. We spoke and I was able to support them as best I could. How are things with you?" _That didn't go so bad..._

"Gearing up for the Battle of the Bands. We've got another rehearsal tomorrow night… you should come by!"

"Oh no, not tomorrow night, that's awful… I've got more family stuff to do again." The lie came easily to Marinette since she decided that was her alibi for Master Fu's training. _I hate liars and lying… but this is necessary. One day, I'll be able to tell the boy I love about everything._

"It's OK, rehearsals probably aren't that fun if you're just watching… it's probably not fun to play the same songs over and over again, either. That's a shame… I was hoping to have you there."

_Me too. _"I'll make it up to you! How about Thursday? We can go get some ice cream!"

Luka beamed. "I'd like that. It's a date!"

"Good. Now, let's get down to business…" she smiled and flashed the Jagged Stone pick he had given her. "Let me show you what I can do!" She picked up the guitar, got her fingers into position and strummed a G major chord. "Not bad, huh?"

"Wow, Marinette, that's great! You're a natural. Let me show you another chord then. This one is a C major." He reached out and adjusted Marinette's fingers on the fretboard. "OK… now try it."

Marinette watched Luka's fingers on her own and blushed. She strummed and something resembling a C major chord came from the guitar.

"Almost there! Press down a bit harder… move this finger back from the fret a bit… now try again."

The pick glided over the strings, producing a much brighter sound. "I _C_… _majorly_," Marinette chuckled. _Good gracious, Chat Noir is really rubbing off on me. I pun more in my civilian identity than I do behind the mask these days!_

Luka gave her a blank stare, then smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, um, that's sounding great! Now, let me show you how to get from one chord to the next. Play these two notes… this is called a walking bass line. You walk up to the C note from the G note, like this." He reached over and pressed her fingers to the strings while strumming them. "So you play the G major chord, these two notes, then the C major chord. May I?"

Marinette nodded and Luka reached around her to demonstrate. She relaxed into his arms as he played one chord, the walking line, and then the other chord. The rhythm of his playing calmed her a bit as she closed her eyes and nestled into him.

"..try?" Luka said.

Marinette jolted. 'Huh?" _Whoops! I'm really not good at keeping my head around boys, it looks like… here with Luka, yesterday with Adrien… I wonder if he's doing any better today..._

"I said, do you want to give this a try? Hey, are you OK? You seem distracted." He rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Oh! Sorry - I was getting a little too comfortable, I guess. I'd love to try!" She reached around the guitar and played the chords as Luka showed her.

"You've got it! Great job!"

She reached behind her and threaded her fingers through Luka's hair. "Thank you for _walking up to C me_, Luka…" _I swear, that cat and his puns are going to be the death of me!_

She turned her head to face his and slowly kissed him.

* * *

Serket was prowling the room, with Mr. Chou warily looking at her. "You seem like you are getting more and more comfortable in the suit, my friend. I would not recommend getting too comfortable. Spending too much time with the kwami of Vengeance may not have positive results."

"What's not to enjoy, Chou?" Serket smiled. "My senses are augmented much more than usual. I feel - _alive_ \- again, finally. After so many years in darkness, my life has purpose! And Namma… Namma helps me channel the rage I have bottled up for so long now. You worry about Vengeance? After we get the secrets of the Miracle Box and the Miraculous for ourselves, everybody who ever wronged my family will be trembling at the thought of us!"

"This rage you feel blinds you, old friend."

"Better to be blinded by rage then blinded by trust! I have bided my time for _too long_! My father gave his life searching for the Miraculous. He was ridiculed, ostracized… forgotten! How quickly a country will turn its back on its champion once that champion shows weakness! We were cast out, forced to live off what little prestige he had and the charity of others! I managed to rebuild myself, and now... I have access to unlimited resources! An entire empire, at my disposal!"

"Soon, my friend. We will both avenge your father and his memory. I will take my rightful place as the Guardian of the Miraculous from that old fool, and nobody will be able to stop us! My quest for the Miraculous has been fruitful. I have been able to detect traces of the Miraculous magic in very… unlikely places. Between that and your efforts to draw out the heroes, we should be led to the Guardian in no time at all, now."

"Let us plan our next attack, then. My ancestors will have reason to celebrate! The Miraculous will be ours!"

* * *

Adrien was sitting at his desk, doodling. _Kagami said that we were going to do something today, but for the life of me I have no idea what… or when._ He had spent the day removing the self-imposed barricade at his bedroom door and had allowed Nathalie to bring him some food. His bedroom was now rearranged, with the video arcade machines and foosball table pushed up against the rock wall. In the open space created, Adrien had set a small table and a chair so he could sit and look out on the Paris daytime and reflect.

His phone buzzed.

**[Kagami] I'm here! Come on downstairs.**

Adrien shrugged. "I guess we're going somewhere, Plagg."

"You don't sound too excited about that, kid. What's the hangup?"

"I guess I'm excited… I don't know, though."

"You can't sit around your room for the rest of your life. Let a friend take care of you and help you get out a bit. You could use the fresh air."

"I guess," Adrien repeated.

_Poor kid has been going back-and-forth between these moods for a couple of days now… which is understandable. Hopefully he snaps out of it soon, but it will probably take something big for him to do that. I'm not sure if even Ladybug can keep him permanently cheered up. He's gotta vent to someone and learn to stop putting on the 'perfect son' act, otherwise he's going to blow up. Pretending a problem doesn't exist never makes it go away._ "Hey… Adrien. Look, just try to have fun tonight, OK? You owe it to yourself."

"I'll try, Plagg." He affixed a smile on his face and headed downstairs. Kagami was waiting for him, wearing torn jeans and a white London Underground t-shirt. "Kagami! It's good to see you." They greeted each other with _la bise_. "What are our plans for the evening?" _Seeing her like this is so… different. She's usually very formal and put-together._

"Well, _first_, Adrien, we are going to go shopping. Second, we are going to see what happens next! Come on!" She took him by the hand and led him out the door.

* * *

Over an hour later, Adrien was standing in front of the mirror at the thrift shop, wide-eyed. Instead of his usual ensemble, he was wearing an red snapback hat, a yellow Vans t-shirt, baggy blue jeans, and white sneakers.

"You look great, Adrien, don't worry," Kagami reassured him.

"That's not what I'm worried about," he said. "Father would kill me if he saw me in this."

"Mission accomplished, then, don't you think? One, it's a good look for you. Two, nobody is expecting to see _the_ Adrien Agreste dressed in anything other than Gabriel. You've got a signature look; it's time to explore and find something that's really _you_, Adrien." She put her hand on his arm. "Do you trust me?"

Adrien shrugged and said nothing.

"I understand how you feel. Growing up in a strong family tradition can be difficult. Taking the time to find your own voice is important. I can help you with that," she offered, eyes looking off to her left. "I just want you to be happy, Adrien. I want you to find the _real_ Adrien Agreste. Can we do that… together?" She looked him in the eyes and smiled. "I know I don't come across as the warmest person, and a lot of that has to do with who I was expected to be. That said, I know what I want. You are kind and brave and smart and talented and… well, _gorgeous_. I like all of those things. But you're not _happy_." Her tone was soft, but fierce. "You're not _real_. You showed me a bit of the real Adrien at the cafe. I want to see _all_ of the real Adrien. Understand?"

Adrien nodded skeptically, eyes not leaving the mirror.

Kagami cupped his face in her hands and turned his head toward her. "_Trust me_," she said. "Now, let's pay for this and get you out of here. You look like you could use a fun time, and I know just the place." She grinned. "Next stop: the Jarden des Tuileries for the summer carnival! Maybe you can win me a stuffed animal." She took his elbow and led him to the cashier, where they paid and departed into the night, the discarded Gabriel clothes still on the floor of the dressing room at the shop.


	17. Tea and Cupcakes

"Hey girls!" Luka called to Juleka and Rose.

It was later Wednesday morning, and three members of Kitty Section were meeting on the houseboat to discuss song ideas for the Battle of the Bands. "Hi," Juleka acknowledged her brother.

"How late were you and Marinette playing Super Penguino?" Rose giggled. Luka blushed and opened his mouth to respond, but Rose cut him off. "And here we thought you were just trading fashion advice for guitar lessons! What you guys _really_ are swapping is - _ow! _What was that for?" she said, rubbing her arm where Juleka smacked her.

"Gross, that's my brother," Juleka mumbled.

Rose laughed, and her eyes got wide as she looked at Luka. "You are _so lucky!_ Marinette's had at least a couple of boys crush on her, but you're the first one that she's responded to! She's really special."

"Adrien," Juleka coughed.

"Oh, right, there's Adrien," Rose corrected herself. "But that wasn't _Adrien_ crushing on _Marinette_… that was totally the other way around. _That_ was so bad, I'm shocked that she ever got over it and moved on! I mean, it was almost like she was stalking him, she had it so bad..."

"Like at the ice rink," Juleka said, a wicked smile on her face.

Luka frowned. "Ha ha… yes, it was, actually… she was very obviously distracted by Adrien and _his_ date at the ice rink, and she did ditch me at the end to go talk to Adrien before he left… but Adrien himself insists that she's nothing more than a fan of his. I've heard him say it with my own ears," he chuckled.

_That doesn't sound like a happy chuckle,_ Juleka thought. _I probably took the sibling rivalry a bit too far here._ "Cool it, she likes you."

Rose nodded. "If you need confirmation, just ask Alya! I'm sure she'll be happy to gush for hours about it."

"_No way!_ I know better than to even _try_ to get in a girl's head by talking to her BFF. Nothing good comes from that. Girl Code specifically states that everything I say goes directly back to the girl, usually with negative comments attached. I've been burned by that before." Luka smiled and sat down on the couch. He strummed a few chords on his guitar. "Alright, Rose… let's officially start Operation: Best Band! Do you have any song ideas besides unicorns and puppies?"

* * *

Adrien was staring at his closet. _Last night, Kagami took me clothes shopping, of all places… imagine that, me! I've never had to go clothes shopping in my life. Everything was always provided for me… the latest fashions for every season, always tailored to fit just right._

He opened the closet door and took down one of his signature white shirts. _Gabriel… I really don't want to be associated with that name anymore. At least, not outside of the job. I'm sure I'll be asked to remain the face of the company for a while, but being a walking billboard is outside of what I want to do. Heh… we'll see how much of a trendsetter I *actually* am…_

One by one, he took down the Gabriel-brand clothes and threw them in a heap next to the video games and foosball table in his room. _If I'm going to be doing stuff for myself like Kagami said… I should probably start by dressing myself in things that *I* want to wear, not things that have been chosen for me._ _I've gotta make a list of stuff I need, then it's time to hit the shops. It might be nice to have some company for that. _He pulled his phone from his pocket, opened the messaging app, and started composing a new message.

* * *

Three hours later, the girls left and Luka went back to his room, alone. He hopped onto his bed and started absentmindedly playing a melancholy song on his guitar. _Must be nice to have a girlfriend over a lot and pretty much be able to whatever, whenever! Marinette is so busy, we only get to see each other a few times a week instead of all day every day like Rose and Juleka do. Not that there's anything wrong with that… after all, we've only really been dating for a few days now. And, she *did* come by and see me on Sunday night when she was feeling down. Not that she's told me much about that. I wonder if the "friend" she was referring to was Adrien? If she was obsessed about him, I can see her not wanting to bring him up around me. Besides, she seems fairly popular and probably has a lot of friends who go to her for help and advice._

_This line of thought isn't helping your mood at all! Juleka of all people even said that Marinette adores me… and that didn't sound like she was teasing me like she usually does. I adore her, too. She's an amazing person and I'm so happy just being around her…_

_...but why am I so bummed just thinking about her now? I should shoot her a text… but she's probably doing stuff with her family, like she said. Ehhh… it can't hurt either way. If she is still interested in Adrien, it'll only score points for me if I show I'm interested in her. I can't really compete with a teen idol supermodel, but if she likes me enough to come to me when she needs comfort and I can be there for her… that says a lot, right?_

_If I do wind up losing her… well, that's kind of on me. I *did* tell her to go after him at the ice rink… but I think how things have gone since then proves who she really wants. If you love somebody, set them free… and she came back._

_OK, I'm definitely too deep in my own head. I need to find my center, here…_

Just then Anarka Couffaine poked her head into the bedroom. "Arr, laddie, I know ye like practicin' and stuff, but do ye think ye could do something other than play the same four notes over and over like that? My ears are about to commit mutiny!" She was gone as quickly as she appeared.

"Sorry, mom…" he called after her. _Huh. Looks like my heartstrings are a bit out of tune._

He picked up his phone and tapped out a message.

* * *

Marinette was struggling.

Her father had challenged her to see who could frost the most cupcakes in fifteen minutes, and she was struggling to keep up with him. "Look behind you! The, um, the dough mixer has come to life and is running out the door!"

"You can't get me _that_ easily, Marinette!" Tom teased. "I'm going to be halfway through this batch soon, and then it will be curtains for you!"

Marinette groaned. "You make it look so easy! No fair!" She flicked some frosting at him and hit him in the apron.

"Don't start something you're not willing to finish, honey! I will demolish you in a food fight! Remember that one time you were covered in so much frosting one customer wanted to buy you? He thought you were a life-sized cake! It's a good thing your mother talked me out of it; we could have retired to the countryside _years_ ago!" He dodged another frosting missile. "Hey, speaking of boys who want to take you home… what's this I hear about you having a new boyfriend?"

"_Subtle_, Dad." Marinette rolled her eyes, then laughed. "You remember Luka, from the band?"

"How could I forget! Tall, plays guitar, blue. Is that the guy?"

"The same!" Marinette laughed.

"You two getting along pretty good?"

"Yeah, we are, dad… he's teaching me how to play guitar, and in return I'm making the outfits for the band. There's a competition in a few weeks and I'm helping them look their best!"

"That's great! Another Marinette fashion special! You're going to rock it, just like every other time, honey." They kept frosting cupcakes, although Tom had slowed down to a more comfortable pace. "And about the boy stuff… I know you like talking to your mother about things like that, but I was a boy once too…"

"Yes, Dad… I know. Mom told me," Marinette laughed. "Nothing bad!" she added quickly, seeing the astonished look on Tom's face. "She just told me how you two met and fell in love. I always thought love was only love at first sight, but she told me she had to really get to know you before she fell in love. Was it the same thing for you?"

Tom put the frosting down and tapped his lips with his finger, considering his response. "To be honest, I can't remember a time when I _wasn't_ in love with your mother. A smart, beautiful, lively young woman who just happened to stop by my bakery every day? What more could I have asked for? The real icing on the cake -" Marinette rolled her eyes at the pun "- was that she understood my sense of humor right off the bat. We just clicked that way, and that helped me really relax around her. I probably came off as too showy and over the top right off the bat, but since she 'got' me like that, it was a lot easier for me to open up and trust her with my more sensitive side. Which, thankfully, she also liked."

"Huh," Marinette said.

"Did that help?" Tom asked hopefully.

"You bet it did, Dad… for one thing, You set down your frosting and let me catch up to you while you were rambling on…" She smiled wickedly. "But seriously, thanks. I appreciate your advice more than I can tell you."

"Only the best for my baby girl! And speaking of best… this is the best frosting, don't you think?" Tom charged around the table and squirted some on Marinette's cheek, then proceeded to smear it all over her face and hair before she could react.

"DAD! Ugh… now I'm going to have to shower… _again_… you menace! You're right, though," she added, dragging a finger through the frosting and sticking it in her mouth, "this is very good. Peach flavor?"

"Yeah, between that special order of peach tarts and Mr. Chou coming in all the time asking for peach pastries, I figured we should make some peach-flavored cupcakes and see if those sell."

"Sounds delicious! You win this time, but you better watch out, Dad, because one day I will conquer you in the frosting war!" She removed her apron and headed upstairs. Her phone buzzed in her hip pocket. _I'll have to get to that later… last time I checked my phone immediately after leaving the bakery, I almost voided the warranty._

* * *

After showering and getting dressed, Marinette finally allowed herself a chance to relax and check her phone. Two notifications waiting for her, so she quickly unlocked her phone to read them.

**[Alya] hey girl, parents are getting scared with all of the Serket stuff going on. they can't keep an eye on me all the time though! but that means they're sending me off to relatives in toulon for the rest of the summer. :( :( :( call me later and i'll fill u in xoxoxo ps i tried to convince them to send me to marseille with nino and his family but noooooo**

Marinette chuckled at the text message but was secretly relieved at her friend's predicament. _If she's not here, Serket can't get her. At least she's safe… even if she's not with Nino. I'm sure they'll find a way to get together._

The next message read:

**[Luka] hope you're doing good today. yesterday was fun, I'm really looking forward to ice cream tomorrow. Can't wait to have a sweet treat with my sweet girl. Text me later if you have time.**

_That boy is really amazing, _Marinette thought. _I wish I could find a way to spend more time with him, but… that's just not in the cards right now._

**[Marinette] I've got Important Family Stuff to do but believe me you are first on my mind, hot stuff. 3 You'll be my ice *dream* tonight.**

_Again with the puns… I've got to have a long talk with that cat… oh!_

**[Adrien] hey… just wondering if you might have time before the weekend to help me out with something**

_What on earth could Adrien want with *me*? Maybe he's just checking in on the fitting for the band outfits…_

**[Marinette (to Adrien)]: hey you! I'm almost done with your shirt… should have it on Saturday morning. Want to come over then?**

**[Adrien] Sure, that sounds great! I can't wait to see it. That's not what I was texting you about though…**

**[Marinette (to Adrien)]: Oh, sorry - what can I help you with? :)**

**[Adrien] I'm rebuilding my wardrobe from scratch. It's a long story. I need a shopping buddy and you were the first person I thought of. Interested? Friday afternoon?**

_Oh, my goodness, am I *interested*? Am I INTERESTED?! Does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Of COURSE I'm interested! But…_ Her thoughts turned to a tall, handsome, guitar-playing boy who had captured her heart. _I really can't… that's not fair to Luka. Go figure… Adrien is asking me to do something with him, alone, and I am turning him down! If Alya were here, she'd probably have a fit._

**[Marinette (to Adrien)]: Oh, sorry… I've got family stuff to do Friday afternoon. I wish I could go with you.**

She sent the message, sighed, and closed her eyes. _I just can't say no to him._ She quickly composed a second message.

**[Marinette (to Adrien)]: But I can't wait to see what you get! Maybe you can come over and model your new look for me.**

_No! BAD Marinette! Luka's your boyfriend now, you can't just invite another boy, even if it's Adrien, to come over to your house and do things like that. It's not right._ She erased the message and composed a new one.

**[Marinette (to Adrien)]: Tell me what you get. If you need anything altered, I'm happy to help out :)**

_There. That's harmless enough._ She hit the Send button and turned her phone off. Right before she set it down, she turned it back on and composed another message.

**[Marinette (to Luka)]: :-* :-* :-* See you tomorrow. Can't wait!**

Nodding at her phone, she hit Send and this time, put her phone down and went to her desk to continue work on her project for the band.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Marinette arrived at Master Fu's apartment. She listened carefully at his door after knocking, hoping to hear normal footfalls instead of a cane. Instead, the door opened seemingly on its own, and Wayzz greeted her at the door, a worried look on his face. "Enter, Marinette. Master Fu is waiting for you."

She went in the apartment and closed the door behind her. Her eyes adjusting to the dim light, she gasped when she saw Master Fu laying on the mat, covered by a warm blanket. _It's summer! What is he doing underneath that blanket? And he's so pale! He looks like he's lost a few pounds, too._ "...Master?" she called out hesitantly.

"Marinette," Fu said gratefully. "I'm glad you came. Do not worry about me, this is just life taking its natural course."

Marinette knelt down and took his hand. "Master… please, don't tell me that you have been just _lying here alone_ all day!"

Fu smiled. "No, Marinette. A nurse came by earlier today to check on me. I have the kwamis to keep me company." He motioned to the corner of the room, where a handful of kwamis, including Sass, Fluff, Wayzz, and Barkk, were gathered. "They have been most helpful. Although," he sighed, "their inexperience with recipes has proven to be my downfall. Despite their best efforts, they can't seem to make tea the exact way that I like it," he grinned.

Tears came to Marinette's eyes. "Master… I'll make the tea for you. Tell me how to do it," Marinette asked.

"First, I have one more important thing to teach you. Please, bring me the gramophone."

Marinette retrieved the gramophone from the credenza and set it down next to Fu.

"This is how you access the Miracle Box, Marinette." He gingerly raised himself on one side. "Place your thumbs on the eyes of the dragons."

Marinette did so, and the eyes of the dragons began to glow red. After a second, the panel between the dragons popped open, revealing nine buttons.

"Now, press the buttons like this." Fu pointed to which buttons to press, and Marinette complied. The gramophone rotated and opened, revealing the Miracle Box. The remaining kwamis floated out of the Miracle Box and surrounded Marinette and Fu.

"It will soon be time, Marinette. You know everything I can teach you about being Guardian of the Miraculous. Please, learn from what I have told you. Guard the Miraculous and the secrets of the Miracle Box and grimoire with your life."

"Master, you can't _die_, not _now…_" Tears spilled down Marinette's cheeks.

"You're right, I will not die now. But it is better that I do the formal handing-down of the Miracle Box before that happens. Besides," Fu smiled gently. "I haven't taught you how to make my favorite cup of tea yet."

Marinette smiled in spite of herself. "This sounds like the most important lesson yet," she said.

"In many ways, it will be," Fu smiled. "Now, get ready to take good notes… _Guardian_."


	18. Viperion

Ladybug was staring at the gramophone, gong, and mallet she was holding. _I wonder what will bring more attention… Marinette carrying these home through the streets of Paris, Ladybug awkwardly swinging from rooftop to rooftop lugging around large, heavy objects, or Ladybug lugging these things around and *not* swinging from rooftop to rooftop. I'm not sure Master Fu thought this through. I'm not even sure *I* thought this through. OK. Can't hurt to try something. _"Lucky Charm!" she called, and a large red polka-dotted sack fell at her feet.

_Not bad! This is probably the first time in forever that Lucky Charm has been immediately obvious. Now… let's give it a try. I've gotta get home in five minutes or less. I hope this is sturdy!_ She opened up the sack and carefully placed the gramophone, gong, and mallet inside. Tying the sack shut, she picked it up. _Nice! I've just gotta keep my landings soft and make sure I don't crash into something, and we should be good to go._ She slung her yo-yo toward the nearest rooftop and launched herself into the sky.

She barely arrived home before de-transforming, setting the sack down on her balcony before her transformation - and the sack - disappeared in a flash of pink light. "Nice work!" she told Tikki, who giggled. "Here, have a cookie while I get this set up in my room. We're going back out!" She pulled a large chocolate chip cookie out of her purse and handed it to the kwami.

As she lowered herself and the things Master Fu had given her into her bedroom, Tikki flew after her. "You've had a busy night, Marinette! Are you sure you want to go out? There's no akumas, and I'd hate for you to run into Serket!"

"I'm just taking the Ladybug Express a short distance. I'll be fine, Tikki," she reassured her kwami. She cleared off some space on her dresser and set the gramophone down. The gong and mallet were placed behind her mannequin. "This will have to do for now. I should probably get some records or something to keep curious eyes off of the gramophone. What do you think?"

"Master Fu had a few records… maybe you can pick them up on Friday when you see him again!"

"That's a good point." Marinette checked her watch. "How's that cookie coming along?"

Tikki rubbed her belly and grinned. "Ready to go, Marinette!"

"Thanks, Tikki!" Marinette called for her transformation, and Ladybug exited through the skylight, swinging toward the Seine.

* * *

Ladybug landed near the Couffaine houseboat and de-transformed. Marinette walked up and listened for the sound of guitar music. Sure enough, a melancholy tune drifted across the air to her ears.

"Hey," she called out. "Sounds like you could use some company tonight."

The guitar playing stopped. "Marinette?" Luka said. "Wh-what are you doing here? You didn't walk all the way here at night, did you?" He helped her onto the houseboat.

"I was in the area," she said evasively, looking down at the ground. "That wasn't your usual cheery song. Is something on your mind?"

Luka smiled at her. "_You_ were, actually. After the other night, you just seemed really down. That music wasn't _me_ feeling that way… it's how I imagined you were feeling. You definitely seemed better yesterday, though. Still feeling better?"

"You are _so sweet,_" Marinette said, giving Luka a hug and a squeeze. "Things are… kind of heavy in places right now. I'm not going to lie. But knowing that you're here to support me when I need it makes all the difference."

"And tonight? What can I do to support you tonight? Want to talk about it?"

"I… can't. Close friend stuff that I can't share right now. But being here in your arms and listening to you play music… that I can do."

"Come with me, then." He led her over to an empty spot on the deck and sat down. Marinette sat down too, her back against his. Luka picked up his guitar and began playing a slow, sweet melody.

"You're going to put me to sleep," Marinette complained lightly.

"Just relax. I'll let you know when it's time to go," Luka said.

Marinette closed her eyes and drifted off to the soothing music.

* * *

True to his promise, Luka woke her up half an hour later. After confirming that she was relaxed, they got on his moped and he drove her back to the bakery. Ducking into the building and assuring him that she was okay, she pecked him on the lips and thanked him for the music and the ride.

Once she heard the moped drive off, she called for Ladybug again, exited the building, and yo-yo'ed her way up to the balcony, where she sneaked into her room for the second time that evening and de-transformed.

"You owe me one, Marinette," Tikki giggled.

"It was worth it, Tikki," Marinette said, then collapsed into her bed and immediately fell back asleep.

Tikki listened to the light snoring coming from her bed and floated off to get a cookie from Marinette's desk.

* * *

Marinette woke up on Thursday morning to her mother standing over her bed, frowning. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng! What on _earth_ were you doing last night!" Sabine thundered.

A small squeak escaped Marinette's lips as she froze in bed, covers pulled up to her chin. "Mom? I… I… I don't know?" she said helplessly.

"Well, whatever it was, please make sure you are taking care of yourself. I know you've got this band project you've been working on, but it's summer, and seeing you sleep in your clothes means you're working too hard. Take a day off! I mean it, young lady! I won't have a daughter of mine stressing over something trivial during her summer break!"

Marinette smiled. _Whew… that was close._ "Thanks, Mom. Don't worry… I'm going to be taking it easy today. Luka's coming over for an ice cream date right after lunch. What time is it, by the way?" She rubbed her eyes.

"Time for you to realize that breakfast has been on the table for two hours now! But don't worry, honey," she smiled sweetly, "I understand that teenage girls need more sleep than usual. I've put some food in the fridge for you… if you need me, I'll be down in the bakery." She leaned forward and kissed Marinette on the forehead. "Remember… take it easy today, _or else!_"

Marinette listened to her mother's laughter as Sabine went down the ladder and through the door to the kitchen. _I've gotta pinch myself sometimes to realize just how lucky I am._

* * *

Marinette got out of bed and dressed in a black Kyo shirt and short denim shorts. After eating a light lunch, Marinette tidied up the kitchen while humming Luka's song from the night before to herself. _That really is catchy - he should work on that one too, even if it's not the happiest song. I should tell him that when I see him._

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Marinette answered it and exclaimed, "Luka!" She jumped into his arms and gave him a long kiss. "I was just thinking about you! That song you were playing last night, before I got on the boat? It's amazing. I think you should make that your next song for the battle of the bands."

Luka returned the kiss. "You think so?"

"Oh, absolutely, it's catchy, sad but sweet at the same time… I think it really has potential."

"Well then, why don't you tell me more about it on the way to ice cream. Andre's?" He held out his elbow.

Marinette paused. _The last couple of times I went to Andre's I got the same thing: Peach pink like his lips and mint like his eyes… I'd hate to get that again with Luka standing right there._ "Umm.. how about the ice cream parlor right across the street? Andre's has a huge crowd during lunch, and, um… large crowds make me nervous!"

"Suit yourself!" Luka shrugged playfully and waited for Marinette to take his elbow. She closed the door behind her and put her arm in his, and they went down the stairs.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the couple was sharing childhood memories.

Luka snorted around his ice cream. "I can't believe your father used to do that!"

Marinette laughed. "True story! I think he and Mom used to have competitions to see who could make me jump the highest. Joke's on them, though… now I startle easily and I'm a _total_ klutz. I can't really be trusted around the bakery too much. Just small pastries and cookies for me!"

"Really, I don't think you're a klutz… why, I can just see you now, doing a couple of twirls, a deep bow, maybe a nice, high kick… you're more graceful than you think!"

_Eep!_ "That's very sweet of you, Luka… but I hope for my sake that _nobody_ ever sees that."

Luka laughed. "Fair enough… hey, let's get a selfie. You got your phone?"

Marinette unlocked her phone, opened the camera app, and handed it over. "Your arms are longer than mine… you take it." She put her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest, and smiled as he took a picture.

"Not bad… let's get another one, just to be sure…"

"AKUMA ALERT!" The shopowner called out, indicating a TV hanging above the counter. Onscreen, Serket was in front of City Hall, menacing a squad of police officers.

"Ladybug, Ladybug, come out, come out, wherever you are!" came the voice from the television screen.

Marinette froze as the other customers in the store left in a general panic. Luka prodded her, "Come on… let's go hide in the back."

"Oh, um… let me use the restroom first." The Nyan Cat song sounded from her purse. _I thought I silenced that! Crap! _"Um… time to take my medication! I get really woozy if I don't take it. Don't wait up... I'll meet you in the back!" She ran to the restroom, closed the door, and transformed.

Instead of going back to the shop, she opened the window and swung over to her balcony. Dropping into her room, she went over to the gramophone. _I don't know what state Kitty is going to be in, but I doubt he's going to be at 100%. We're going to need all the help we can get! Let's see… Alya and Nino are out of town… Master Fu is too weak. Gabriel Agreste is the only other Miraculous holder with any experience, and there's no way I can trust him. Hmm… trust…_

She entered the code into the gramophone, exposing the Miracle Box. She opened the lid, and the sides automatically opened as well. _We're going to need an edge… what did Jalil say about Serket?_ Her eyes fell upon a teal section of the Miracle Box, and she smiled. _Of course!_ She picked up a bangle, closed and replaced the Miracle Box, and swung back to the ice cream parlor.

* * *

Ladybug found her way to the back. "Luka!" she called out. A head with blue hair poked itself up from behind a counter. She walked over, grabbed his hand, and pulled him out the back door into an alleyway.

"Ladybug! Wow… I wasn't expecting to see you. Is… is this about Marinette? I still have her phone," He cast a worried glance over her shoulder, toward the shop.

_Oh man, that's going to be hard to explain! I should have taken it back. _"She's OK. I need _you_, actually."

"Me? Why?"

"Because I need someone brave, and someone I can trust. Right now, you're the only person I can think of."

"Brave? Trustworthy? I don't understand! We've only really seen each other once…"

"And during that time, you were very calm when Captain Hardrock captured those kids. Being calm in the face of danger like that is a sign of bravery. But you also helped us escape Hawk Moth's akumas during Heroes' Day. That…" Ladybug blushed. "...That meant a lot to me."

Luka looked thoughtfully at Ladybug, then smiled. "Wow, I didn't think anybody would have noticed or remembered that. You win, Ladybug. How can I help?"

Ladybug extended her arm and opened her hand. "Luka Couffaine. This is the Miraculous of the Snake, which grants the power of Suggestion. You will use it for the greater good. When you are done, you will return the Miraculous to me. Can I count on you?"

"Yes, of course, Ladybug." Luka took the bangle and put it on his wrist. Sass materialized in a flash of bluish-green light. "What is that?"

"I am Sass, human. I will help you become a superhero to aid Ladybug in this time of need. To transform, all you need to say is _Let's Slide!_"

"OK." Luka took a deep breath. "Sass, _Let's Slide!_"

A teal light flashed around Luka as his costume began to take shape. When the light faded, Luka was wearing a dark teal suit, with lighter teal snakeskin-patterned boots, gloves, and chest piece. His hair lengthened and lightened. A teal mask with snake nostrils covered his eyes, which had turned yellow and taken on the appearance of snake eyes. At the bottom of the mask were two small snake fangs. There was a small gold diamond on his chest and, below that, light teal segments that resembled a snake's stomach. He carried a small teal lyre.

Ladybug released her breath. _Not bad! If I didn't see him transform, I wouldn't know it was him. Good thing Chat has something similar happen to his eyes, otherwise, I'd be *really* creeped out right now_. "Looking good! Ok, um… well… I can't call you by your real name in costume. Do you have a preference?"

"Hmm… how about… _Viperion?_" he grinned. To Ladybug's relief, he didn't have real fangs to go along with his costume fangs.

Ladybug smiled back. "Alright, Viperion… let's get moving! We've got a job to do."


	19. Scorpion and Snake I

Ladybug and Viperion leaped off in the direction of City Hall, running across the rooftops.

"You have a special power that you can only use once, Viperion. It's called _Snake Charm_ and will allow you to directly control one person for five minutes. Use it wisely, because at the end of the five minutes, you'll be forced to detransform. Your identity _must _remain a secret! You activate your power by plucking the strings on your lyre in order, then saying your power's name."

"Got it. Um… what else can I use this lyre for? It doesn't seem sturdy enough to hit someone with…"

"You'd be surprised. Miraculous objects are very durable. You're durable too… you'll be able to take a lot of physical punishment and just get right back up. But as for magic… Serket's ability has the ability to knock out even the strongest of people. You'll want to avoid her sceptre if you see it glowing. We know a bit about how Hawk Moth and his kwami were affected by it, and we don't want anything like that happening to us."

"Avoid Serket's sceptre. OK. That should be easy enough. But… if we are avoiding her… how do we beat her?"

The duo arrived on top of City Hall, where Chat Noir was waiting for them. "Chat!" called Ladybug softly, squatting down behind a balustrade. Her partner crept over to join them.

"I see we've got a new friend! Chat Noir, at your service. You must be…"

"Lu.. uh, Viperion! Call me Viperion."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Viperion. Ladybug, I see you took Jalil's advice to heart and got a snake to fight the scorpion. Good call! But -" he pointed to Viperion's weapon "- I thought you didn't like _lyres_, my Lady." He smiled expectantly at Ladybug.

Ladybug rolled her eyes and groaned, but couldn't suppress the smile that grew on her face. "Thanks, Kitty. Let's figure out how we're going to attack Serket. She's going to get bored of those police officers pretty quickly."

"I think the end goal is to get her Miraculous… wherever that is. It's probably not as obvious as an akumatized object, though. I'd normally go for her sceptre, but that's probably out. Imagine that," he chuckled, "Hawk Moth is finally done, and now _we're_ going to be the ones going up to people demanding their Miraculous. What's that saying about the apple and the tree? Something about falling…" he trailed off into an incoherent babble.

Ladybug frowned. _He's definitely not back to one hundred percent. I don't want to see him get hurt! Or Luka, for that matter. This is going to be trickier than I imagined._

"Wait, Hawk Moth is done?" Viperion said, a little too loudly.

Serket's head whipped around to the top of the building. "Someone's on the roof… I _thought_ I heard you, Ladybug. There's someone new I don't recognize… did you bring some new playmates for me?"

Viperion gulped. _Be brave,_ he thought to himself.

"Why don't you come down and play, heroes?" Serket taunted. "The view from down here is so much better, anyway."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Chat Noir said, before leaping down to the ground.

Ladybug tensed. "Ready, Viperion?" She grabbed his wrist and, without waiting for an answer, jumped off the building.

* * *

The heroes landed in a triangle, surrounding Serket. Ladybug was spinning her yo-yo. Chat Noir was twirling his baton. Viperion stood in a fighting stance, lyre hooked to the small of his back. Serket turned slowly, cocking her head in turn at each of the heroes. "It appears that I am at a disadvantage," she spat. "No matter! I've overcome more in my life than you children could ever _imagine_. This is just one more obstacle!" She held her _was_-sceptre in her right hand, with her elbow bent. Her knees were flexed, and her feet were turned away from each other. Her left arm was out to the side.

She took quick, shuffling steps forward, never losing her position and occasionally prodding at Viperion with her _was_-sceptre, advancing with the grace of a fencer expertly wielding a sabre. Viperion backed off, keeping his guard up. "I don't want to hurt you!" he said.

"_Fool!_ You think you can hurt _me_?" The sceptre danced closer and closer to Viperion. With a lightning-fast lunge, Serket struck at Viperion's left knee, buckling it and sending him to the ground! Like a flash, Serket was on top of him, sceptre raised to the sky.

"NO!" Ladybug shouted, wrapping Serket up in her yo-yo string and pulling. Serket was jerked backwards, then turned and shifted position to pull Ladybug toward her instead. Ladybug flew toward Serket, her yo-yo string falling to the ground as it slackened. Serket freed her arms and swung her sceptre like a baseball bat, connecting with Ladybug's head and knocking her to the ground.

Chat Noir and Viperion yelled in horror as Ladybug went limp. With a visceral roar, Chat extended his baton in Serket's direction, propelling the villain toward City Hall and pinning her against the building. "Get her out of here, Viperion!" he commanded.

Viperion ran over and attempted to pick Ladybug up. "Wha… what are you doing?" she asked. "I'm _fine_, just had the wind knocked out of me. Help Chat get Serket!" She stood up and ran to where Serket struggled with Chat's baton, Viperion trailing behind her.

"I'll knock you through the building for hurting my Lady!" Chat seethed. "Oh, hey, Bugaboo," he said casually as he saw Ladybug running toward Serket. He retracted his baton slowly and charged Serket, keeping her pinned against the building.

"_Scorpion's Sting!_" Serket yelled as the three heroes got close. The end of her _was_-sceptre glowed as she waved it threateningly at them.

Ladybug held out her arms, stopping Chat Noir and Viperion from getting any farther. "Be careful! I've seen what this can do firsthand!"

"I'm not scared, my Lady! _Cataclysm!_" Black bubbles formed in Chat Noir's hand. "Hey, Serket! Let's see who will win this duel… your Sting, or my Cataclysm."

_He can't Cataclysm Serket! I know he's not in the best place right now, but he'll regret doing something like that for the rest of his life. I won't let him do that to himself._

"Stand down, Kitty…" Ladybug warned. "We've got her cornered. She can only use her Sting once, but we've got a few more tricks up our sleeves." Her eyes never wavered from Serket as she continued, "Give up, Serket! Your reign of terror over Paris is ending, _right now!_"

Four people faced off, frozen in unbridled tension. Finally, Serket broke the silence. "I know when I'm outmatched… but I promise you, you have not seen the last of Serket!" She swung her sceptre in a wide arc, driving the heroes back, then jumped to the top of City Hall.

"Do we follow her?" Viperion asked.

Ladybug shook her head. "I'm still not sure how we beat her… we could be walking into a trap."

"But she used her special power!" Chat Noir protested. "She'll be de-transformed and we can take her then!"

"So did _you_, Kitty. And besides, we have no idea who we're looking for." Ladybug gestured at the sea of people who were emerging from their hiding places. "She could be any one of them. Or none of them. You know as well as I do how far we can travel in five minutes."

"That's a good point. I've gotta scat… but let me know if you get any ideas. Viperion… nice to meet you. Until next time!" He deactivated his Cataclysm, saluted, and used his baton to vault off into the distance.

"Let's get you back to that ice cream shop, Viperion," Ladybug grinned. "You can give me the Miraculous back there." _And then maybe we can finish off our ice cream date._

"Lead the way, Ladybug!" They hopped to the top of City Hall, and retraced their steps along the rooftops back to where they started.

* * *

When they arrived back in the alley behind the ice cream shop, Viperion removed the bangle and handed it back to Ladybug. Sass emerged from the flash of blue-green light complaining, "Ouch! Next time, just say the de-transformation phrase. It's much less of a shock to the kwami."

"Sorry," Luka said sheepishly. "What's the de-transformation phrase?"

"It's _Let's Hide_," Sass informed him. "It was nice working with you, young master. I hope to work with you again."

"I'd like to have the chance! I don't feel like I did much," Luka responded.

"It's OK, Luka… you'll get the hang of it. It took me a while, myself." She smiled and put the bangle inside her yo-yo. "I'll be in touch when we need you again. Thanks for your help today," she said shyly, then grinned and took off.

* * *

Luka watched her disappear, then entered the ice cream shop through the back door. When he came around the counter to the front, Marinette was waiting for him. "Hey!" she said. "Everything OK? I looked around and didn't find you." _Time for the first test… let's see if he spills anything._

He frowned. "Uh… it was really crowded and I went into the flower shop next door! Oh! I would have called you, but… I still had your phone." He pulled Marinette's phone out of his pocket and handed it to her, fidgeting from one foot to the other.

"Thanks," she said as she took it and put it back in her purse. _Good… he can keep a secret. But… he does look like he wants to say something._ "Luka, what's the matter?"

Luka took a deep breath. "I'm curious… if I had your phone, what was that in your purse before you ran off?"

"Oh! Umm… that was my medication alarm. Yeah, that's right. Medication alarm." Marinette pasted a large smile on her face.

"Huh. Ok, not sure I've heard of those before. I was just thinking… you got a mysterious alert… ran off… and I didn't see you again for a bit. Just concerned about you, I guess. It'll pass. Sorry."

Marinette shuffled her feet and looked back where they had been sitting. "It looks like our ice cream has melted… do you want to come back to my place and we can do the final fitting of your outfit for the battle of the bands? I want to hear more of that song you were playing last night, too." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the chin. "What do you say, hot stuff?"

"I actually don't have my guitar on me, for once," Luka admitted. "But I'm happy to come over and see what you've been up to." He offered her his hand and she took it. "Lead the way, Marinette!"

They walked out into the afternoon sun. Luka looked at Marinette and smiled. "You know what, Marinette? You need a nickname."

"A nickname? How so?"

"Well, you call me 'hot stuff'... what can I call you?"

Marinette hummed. "What comes to mind?"

"Let's see… you didn't really like 'ice princess'... I still need to come up with a new title for that, by the way."

Marinette smiled and leaned into Luka a bit.

"How about just 'princess'?" Luka asked.

"_No._" Marinette responded immediately.

_Huh… that struck a nerve… I wonder why? _"I know! How about 'pink stuff'! What do you think about that?"

"I like it! I've never really had a nickname before, unless you count the names that Chloe used to call me," she giggled. They reached the bakery, and Luka opened the door for Marinette. "Hello, Mr. Chou! It's good to see you!" She greeted him with a handshake.

"Marinette! It is good to see you as well."

"Mr. Chou is stopping in for his daily purchase of a peach tart," Sabine commented.

"They truly are the best in Paris, just like your mother told me, Marinette."

"I'm glad to hear it! It was good to see you again, Mr. Chou. Mom, Luka and I are going upstairs to work on some stuff for the band. See you later!" She waved and led Luka through the back of the bakery and up the stairs to the apartment.

* * *

"Stay here," Marinette said, and continued up the stairs to her bedroom. She returned moments later carrying a shirt and a pair of pants. "OK, hot stuff, take these into the bathroom and change into them. Be careful! The stitching is really light and might tear. I'll go back upstairs and get my tailor's kit so I can mark off where any alterations need to be made." She went back upstairs and disappeared into her bedroom.

Luka went into the bathroom and stripped down to his briefs. He carefully put on the clothes Marinette had given him. When he was finished, he looked in the mirror and whistled. _Everything fits really well already - she really is amazing!_ The shirt was a dark teal to match his hair, with a black collar and sleeves. The pants were also black, with a dark teal stripe about an inch wide up the outside of each leg. The pants were tight enough to hug his hips, but loose enough to allow easy movement. The pant legs were about floor-length and slightly flared at the bottom. He came out of the bathroom and absentmindedly started playing air guitar while he waited for Marinette.

"Careful, hot stuff, you don't want to tear the shirt seams. You look great! Let me see here… OK, stand like you were holding a guitar…" she moved around him and made some chalk marks on his shoulders. She moved him to several different poses, each time circling him, eyes on the fabric like a hawk searching for prey. She darted in occasionally, making a mark on the fabric, all the while muttering to herself.

_I love watching an artist at work._ Luka smiled while admiring Marinette. "You're incredible, you know that?"

"One sec," replied Marinette, jotting notes down on a piece of paper. "Sorry about that, didn't want to lose my train of thought. What did you say?"

"I said, pink stuff," Luka bent down to touch his nose to hers, "that you're incredible." He moved to kiss her on the lips, but she ducked out of the way.

"First things first, hot stuff. Get changed back to your regular clothes, and let me put these away. I don't want to smear any of the chalk marks," she grinned, pinking. "After that, why don't you sing me that new song of yours…"

* * *

In an apartment on the right bank of the Seine, Marianne Lenoir was holding Fu Wang's hand as Wayzz looked on. Fu's breathing had slowed over the past few hours, and their only communication was an occasional squeeze. _I've known this was coming for about a week now, but this doesn't make it any easier. He's worked hard and has earned this rest. I'm going to miss him, but if what he told me was true, I'll be seeing him again very shortly._ She smiled fondly at her friend and thought about the envelope in her jacket pocket. _It's just like him to give me one more mission. I hope I'm around long enough to fulfill it._

As she had every fifteen minutes for the past five hours, she squeezed Fu's hand.

This time, he didn't squeeze back.

Marianne put her other hand on his chest and noted the lack of rising and falling. After five minutes of quiet reflection, she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Rest, my love. You did well."


	20. Guardian

Marinette awakened on Friday morning to a strangely familiar smell coming from the kitchen. Getting out of bed, she made her way downstairs to find her mother fretting as she sampled something hot from the stovetop.

"You're up early! Great, I really need your help. Here, stir this," she said, passing a wooden spoon to Marinette and indicating the pot on the stove.

"Of course, Mom! What's the matter? You look upset."

"I just got a call from the Chinese community center. There's going to be a wake tomorrow at four, and they've asked us to help prepare a small meal afterwards. Your father has a couple of special cakes he needs to get out the door today, so we are stretched very thin. That's where you come in," Sabine rattled off.

"Sure, I'm happy to help out! Do you know who died?"

"Yes, one of our semi-regulars at the Center. His name was Wang Chan. I'm not sure if you've met him - he was in the bakery a couple of times and would get a fruit tart for his pet turtle. Kind of eccentric, if you ask me. Short... grey moustache and goatee... always wore a bright red Hawaiian shirt... I think he owned a massage therapy studio - _Marinette, you have to keep stirring!_"

The spoon had fallen from her hand as loud alarm bells sounded in her head. "Sorry, Mom," she said, picking the spoon back up and robotically stirring the hot mixture. _How do I figure out if it was him? I wonder if Tikki can check with Wayzz. The name was different, but she pretty much described him to a T. Oh! Wayzz! How do I get him back?_ She blinked back tears and wiped at her eyes. "What is this I'm stirring?" _Maybe getting my mind off of things will keep me from completely falling apart until I can confirm it was him… just gotta stay positive in the meantime._

"This is called _jai_, and I'm absolutely horrible at making it. I'm practicing before the wake tomorrow. Oh! This is your first traditional Chinese wake. Normally there would be a large amount of food, but since our Chinese community is very small and Mr. Chan didn't have a family, we're only doing _jai_. We'll share it among the ten or so people who will be there as a family meal. Afterwards…"

Sabine's words faded to background noise as Marinette focused on stirring the _jai_. _No family… I wonder if Marianne knows. I'll have to go back to that park bench and see if she shows up today. I'll have to let Kitty know… right? But how would Ladybug and Chat Noir show up at a wake in costume? That would completely blow his cover… and if we show up there out of costume, it would blow ours… at least, to each other. Not that I know who he is. Great work, Marinette! You're the Guardian of the Miraculous and you've got two Miraculous out there where you don't know the owners, a third, rogue Miraculous… and you have to get the Turtle Miraculous back from… somewhere. Way to start off on the right foot!_

"OK, Marinette, thanks. I can take over from here. But stay close… I might need you to help make sure we have everything on hand to make this tomorrow. You can go back to bed," Sabine teased.

"Thanks, Mom," Marinette said, giving Sabine a kiss on the cheek before heading back upstairs.

* * *

"_Tikki!_" Marinette hissed as she closed the door behind her.

"I heard, Marinette," Tikki said sadly. "We need to send a kwami out to do reconnaissance. Normally, it would be me, but I should probably stay here with you. Who should we send out?"

"Who knows where to look? You and Plagg know where Master Fu's apartment is, but do any of the other kwamis?"

"It won't matter… I can just tell them where to go."

"If it's reconnaissance, we'll need someone sneaky." Marinette considered her options. "Sneaky like… a _fox_."

"Excellent choice, Marinette! Trixx will do well."

Marinette walked over to the gramophone and accessed the Miracle Box. "Umm… Tikki? How do I get Trixx to appear if she doesn't have a Miraculous holder? Do I have to put the necklace on?"

"You don't, Marinette. Master Fu would give you small wooden boxes to put the Miraculous in, right? And when you opened the box, the kwami would appear. Those small boxes are more than meets the eye."

"Oh! I should have guessed." Marinette opened the drawer below the gramophone and took out one of the boxes Fu had given her. Opening it, she placed the Fox Miraculous inside, then closed it again. _I hope this works,_ she thought, before opening the small box again. Yellow light shone from the Miraculous and became a ball that danced around before resolving into Trixx.

"How may I serve you, Guardian?" Trixx asked.

"I need you to fly to Master Fu's apartment and tell me what you see. Do not let anyone see you, and gather as much information as you can. This is _urgent_, Trixx. I'll be here waiting for your report."

"At your command, Guardian," Trixx intoned solemnly.

Tikki whispered something to Trixx, then the fox kwami phased through Marinette's window and disappeared.

"She'll do good, Marinette. You don't have anything to worry about."

"At least, not in that regard, Tikki. And now… we wait." Marinette walked over and picked up Luka's outfit for the battle of the bands. "I'll keep myself busy in the meantime."

* * *

An hour later, Marinette slumped to the ground, shoulders shaking. Trixx's report had confirmed her worst fears: Master Fu's apartment was empty, and the Chinese community center was already decorated with a picture of him in his younger days. Tikki was floating near Marinette, patting her on the head. Trixx had gone back to the Miracle Box to inform the other kwamis of the passing of their beloved Guardian, and Marinette replaced the Fox Miraculous.

"Tikki, what am I going to _do_?" Marinette sobbed. "He always knew exactly what to say… how to make me feel better or stronger as Ladybug… I'm going to be lost without him!" She wiped her nose with her sleeve.

"I know, Marinette. Master Fu was important to all of us. He has given you a fine legacy to carry on - the legacy of the Guardians."

"Is… is he going to be able to guide me as a spirit or something like that?"

"Sorry, Marinette. That only happens in stories like Star Wars."

Marinette laughed, startled. "Tikki! How do you know about Star Wars?"

"Master Fu would keep us up to date on things like that. He didn't tell you? One of the main duties of the Guardian is to treat the kwamis to a movie night once a month." Tikki smiled. "Relax, Marinette, I'm teasing. Master Fu gave you everything you need to know to be a great Guardian of the Miraculous. The rest will come from inside you."

Marinette nodded and sniffled again. "I… I should tell Chat. He deserves to know." She pulled her flip phone from her purse.

**[LB] Hey Kitty… got your ears on?**

**[CN] Not yet… I'm at the groomer. What's new, Bugaboo? =^.^=**

**[LB] I have news… not the good kind. Can you meet?**

**[CN] Name the time and place and I'll be there. Everything OK?**

**[LB] 15 minutes at the Tower? Tell you then.**

**[CN] You got it, Bug. See you soon**

**[LB] /(%)\**

She flipped the phone closed, sighed, and wiped her eyes again. Standing up, she mumbled "Spots on", and climbed out her bedroom skylight to meet her partner.

* * *

As was his custom, Chat Noir was waiting for Ladybug on a beam near the top of the Eiffel Tower. "My Lady…" he paused at the look on her face, then immediately went over and put his hand on her shoulder. "Sit down. What's the matter?" His worried green eyes met her red-stained ones.

"Master Fu died," Ladybug whispered. She sat down on the beam, and Chat Noir sat next to her, his arm around her shaking shoulders.

"What? No! It can't be… Bug, I'm so sorry… I know how close you two were." He gave her a small squeeze, and she put her head on his shoulder. "How… how did… um… sorry," he said sheepishly, "I've got a lot of questions, and I don't know if you have any of the answers. Why don't you just tell me about what's going through _your_ mind, and we'll sort things out from there."

Ladybug sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "He knew his time was short… I think I told you about that already, right?" Chat Noir nodded. "Anyway… these past couple of weeks, he had been giving me special lessons to prepare _me_ to be the next Guardian. Just two nights ago, he actually _gave me the Miracle Box_ and called _me_ the _Guardian!_ Kitty… I'm not… I'm not ready."

"Wow… Ladybug… you must be feeling overwhelmed." He started rubbing a comforting circle on her back.

"You have _no idea_… I'm responsible for _all the Miraculous_, Serket is out there doing who-knows-what… the Peacock Miraculous is still missing… and what's worse, I feel like there's _nobody_ out there I can talk to about this!"

"That's not _entirely_ true, you know… you're talking to _me_ about this right now."

She giggled around a sniffle. "Ha ha, Kitty… I mean… if I want to talk to you, we have to transform and meet and get away… or text each other, which was an _amazing_ idea that I still need to properly thank you for… it's just… oh, I don't know… it's a lot to handle right now."

"I understand, Bug. I'm here for you if you ever need to vent or need someone to hold a pillow to scream into. You told me that you'd drop everything for me, and you need to know that the feeling is mutual."

"Thanks, Kitty." She lifted her head off of his shoulder and giggled again at the pouting face he made. "Speaking of… how are you doing with… all that? You never really told me what set you off. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Oh, that? Um… let's just say that I've had a weight on my shoulders for a while, and it was ripped off. Kind of like ripping a bandage off of a wound. You know?"

"I think so. You're mixing metaphors, though, Kitty," she teased.

"I know. I'm still wrapping my head around it, and I don't have anybody I can talk to, really."

An grin split Ladybug's face as she echoed, "That's not _entirely_ true, you know… you're talking to _me_ about this right now."

Chat Noir sighed. "I left myself wide open for that one." He chuckled. "Let me put it this way: The person who's been making my life miserable for the past few years showed up in a _very_ unexpected place when I wasn't ready at all."

"And are you doing OK, yet?"

"Still getting there, Bug. I'm finding out a lot about myself in the meantime."

"Well, I'm here for you as much as you need me. Just say the word, Kitty."

"I appreciate that. Oh, before I forget… when is Master Fu's… funeral?"

Ladybug said sternly, "Kitty, you can't go! He was living here under an assumed name. If a superhero shows up, it would cause too much attention…" She stopped herself and took a deep breath. "Sorry. That's not being helpful. There's a Chinese community center in the 21st _arrondissement_. His wake will be there at four."

"I'll be thinking about him, then. And you, too, Bug. I mean it… just reach out if you need me."

She smiled warmly at him. "Thanks, Kitty. I'll be sure to take you up on that."

The heroes stood up and made as if to hug each other, then awkwardly backed off. Chat Noir rubbed the back of his neck and smiled. "See you around, Bug." He extended his baton and vaulted into the Paris afternoon.

_That helped,_ Ladybug thought. _I'm so glad I have him. Now to visit a certain park bench._

* * *

Ladybug landed near the park and de-transformed. Marinette found her way to the park bench where she knew Marianne would wait for Master Fu. She sat down. People came and went, but none of them were the woman Marinette was waiting for. After two hours of waiting, Marinette sighed and started for home.

* * *

Marinette entered her house by way of the bakery. Sabine was at the front counter talking to Mr. Chou. "Will you be able to come?" she asked him.

"Of course. I am always willing to support my community. Four o'clock, you said?"

"That's correct."

"It will be an honor to attend. Thank you so much for thinking of me, Mrs. Cheng."

"You're very welcome, Mr. Chou."

He bowed slightly, took the bag with his peach tart in it, and left.

"Hi, Mom!" Marinette said. "Can I help out down here?"

"Marinette! I didn't see you come in. You know I won't say no, honey. Watch the counter here while I get some stuff out of the back to restock for the pre-dinner rush."

* * *

Marinette spent the rest of the day Friday helping out around the bakery and around the house. _Staying busy has kept my mind off of other things. Good thing Mom asked me to help out at the wake… I'll at least get some closure. It's a shame Kitty won't be able to make it, though. He wasn't that close to Master Fu, but I know Fu had made an effort to reach out to him._

At the end of the day, she fell into a fitful sleep, full of dreams of scorpions, snakes, and black cats.


	21. Awakenings

Marinette woke up Saturday morning to the sound of her phone buzzing. Half-awake, she swiped at the screen and saw this message:

**[Adrien] Hey Marinette, does the offer to have me come over and model for you still stand? I've got a ton of clothes I want to show you.**

Marinette considered the message. _I'm not going to complain if my morning fills up. He probably needs some company, too. Of course I'll help him out._

**[Marinette] Sure! What time were you thinking?**

**[Adrien] Actually… I'm outside now, if that's okay.**

Marinette jumped, startled. _WAAAAGH! He's outside *right now*? This is a disas- actually, no, it's not. You can do this, Marinette! The boy needs a friend. Be that friend. Besides, now that you're not crushing on him anymore like a lovesick fool, you should be able to talk with him like a normal person!_

**[Marinette] Give me five minutes and I'll be down to let you in. Hang on**

She tossed the phone on her bed and quickly changed out of her pajamas. She fixed her hair and touched up her makeup in the mirror, then went downstairs.

Adrien was waiting outside with three large shopping bags. He was wearing faded blue jeans, sandals, and a white t-shirt with a picture of the Eiffel Tower on it. _Gorgeous as always_, Marinette thought. _He's not wearing his usual ensemble, though… in fact, none of those clothes look like anything Gabriel's put out in the past few years. I wonder if his dad knows that the face of his brand is wearing… stuff that looks like it's from a vintage shop. Hmm._ Marinette greeted him with _la bise_, grabbed one of the bags, and carried it all the way upstairs to her bedroom. Adrien put his two shopping bags down and smiled. "I can't wait for you to see some of this stuff," he grinned.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were going for a new look," Marinette commented.

"Is… is that okay?" He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Adrien, why do you ask? If the clothes you wear make you feel good, then go for it! You'll look great in anything, to be honest," she trailed off, blushing.

Adrien pinked in response. "Um… that's very kind of you to say! I only asked because I know you're a fan of my modeling, and I wouldn't want to disappoint you by wearing, well," he gestured to himself, "_this._"

"Well, Mr. Model, I certainly appreciate the opportunity for a private show. Let's see what you've got!" She placed her privacy screen between her desk and her chaise, sat down in her desk chair, and laughed. "I give you a solid seven out of ten on the first outfit."

Adrien grinned in response. "Seven out of ten, huh? It's because we don't have the right environment. Hang on." He pulled his phone out and started playing the latest Mr. XY single. "No true modeling show is complete without crappy dance music!" He picked up his bags and disappeared behind the privacy screen.

Marinette waited, heartbeat racing as she watched the silhouette of Adrien's jeans and shirt fall to the ground behind the screen. _You dork! You have a boyfriend - what on earth are you doing?! This boy has been through the wringer I don't know how many times over, you should be his friend, not drooling at… oh!_ Adrien emerged and struck a dramatic pose. He was wearing beach shorts in a familiar shade of green and a white tank top.

Marinette clapped and said, "Mayyyybe an eight out of ten. Those shorts match your eyes."

Adrien gave a thumbs-up and disappeared behind the screen again. The pile of clothes on the floor grew larger, and she heard him rummaging around in the bags.

"Go to him," a voice at her shoulder said.

Marinette paused. _Great, this is just like the cartoons with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other shoulder! My brain is trying to sabotage me… there's a gorgeous, mostly-naked boy just over there, and I'm hearing voices -_ she turned to the source of the voice. "_Sass!_" she whisper-shouted. "_What on earth are you doing?_"

"You never put the Miraculous back in the Miracle Box. I've been watching you for the last little bit. This is the boy whose pictures you have on the walls, yes?"

Marinette nodded, dumbfounded.

"You should definitely go see what he looks like under all of those clothes. Should I observe and describe it for you?"

Marinette's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. Sass floated in the air, a sly smile on his face. Before Marinette could get any response out, Adrien called "Here I come!" from behind the screen. A red blur tackled Sass and the two kwamis disappeared into a corner.

This time, Adrien was wearing an orange baseball cap, a yellow t-shirt with faded lettering on the front, and dark blue jeans. He strutted up to Marinette, smirked, and said, "Well?"

"Four out of ten. You shouldn't cover up your hair like that. And those colors do _not_ work very well with your complexion."

A vaguely familiar pout crossed Adrien's face, which he quickly replaced with a wide smile. "I think I've got just the thing then, Marinette… oh! Speaking of trying things on, how is my outfit for the battle of the bands coming?"

"Shoot! Thanks for reminding me! It's ready… let me get that for you and you can try it on, then we can continue the fashion show." She gathered the shirt and pants, then passed them over to Adrien. "Careful, I haven't done the final sewing on it yet."

"I will be!" He smiled and disappeared behind the screen again.

Marinette sat back down in her desk chair and spun around. Out of the corner of her eye, it looked like Tikki was angrily scolding Sass. She cocked her head in that direction and tried to listen. "..._boyfriend_ and she is _happy_ and you have _no reason_ to _be up to your usual tricks like that_…" she heard. _Geez, I'm glad I've never gotten on Tikki's bad side! I can't *believe* I forgot to put the Miraculous back! I've gotta get better about that..._ Her train of thought was interrupted by a figure in black and green. Adrien was trying to put his hair back into place after taking off the previous outfit's hat. Hair rumpled, he looked at Marinette, a rakish grin on his face.

"I _like_ this, Marinette!" He was wearing form-fitting black pants with a thin neon green stripe up each leg. His black button-down shirt had three neon green stripes diagonally slashed across the front. "Black and green are _definitely_ my colors."

Marinette whistled appreciatively. "I'm glad you like it. Now hold still so I can see where I need to alter this." She grabbed some chalk from her desk.

Adrien watched her move around him. _This is Marinette with her game face on_, he observed. _Determination… precison…_ His thoughts drifted to the day before, when he had seen a similar look on… _stop it!_ He shook his head gently to clear his mind, then smiled at Marinette when she looked questioningly at him.

"Lift your arms up a sec," Marinette gently commanded, and Adrien obliged. "Okay, right here... this is too tight." She put her hand on his chest to keep the fabric from moving underneath the chalk. Unwittingly, she became transfixed by his heartbeat and the gentle rise and fall of his breath...

"Marinette? Are you ok? It looks like you hit the _paws_ button."

She grabbed her hand back as if it had been shocked. "Sorry," she mumbled. _Was that… a *cat pun*? I must be reading too much into things… _She chalked the seam where the sleeve met the shirt, then moved to the other side to make a similar mark. "I'm done. Go ahead and get changed, and I'll make these alterations later."

"You got it, Marinette!" He smiled and moved behind the screen, leaving Marinette to slump in her desk chair, head spinning.

* * *

Adrien excused himself at one o'clock to go eat lunch and get ready for a "thing" that he had later that afternoon. At three o'clock, Marinette changed into an all-black dress, black shoes, and put her hair up in a bun. She joined her mother at the front of the bakery and walked with her to the community center. Inside, there was a large room decorated with large floral arrangements and pictures of Master Fu. _Where did they get all of these pictures? I never saw his apartment decorated with them... or any photo albums, for that matter._ She saw Marianne wearing a white dress with a red stripe on it. She caught Marinette's eye and shook her head imperceptibly. Marinette nodded back and continued to help Sabine set the table for the post-wake meal.

People started to arrive for the wake at about 3:45. One by one, they walked up to Marianne and paid their respects, then placed a white envelope in the casket. Marinette recognized a couple of regular customers from the bakery, including Mr. Chou. She jumped when she saw a familiar blond boy dressed from head to toe in black. _What is Adrien doing here? Keep it together, Marinette… he probably has a good reason._ She overheard him talking with one of the other attendees in Mandarin. _Oh yeah, I almost forgot he speaks Chinese… this is what happens when I stop keeping track of his daily schedule, I guess._

Marinette had a chance to approach Adrien after the meal. "Hey… what brings you by here?"

"Marinette! I see your family is helping out with the food… did you know Mr. Chan at all?"

"Oh, um... my mom's a member of the community center here. She helps out at things like this sometimes. I'm here to support her."

"That's cool. Mr. Chan helped tutor me in Chinese sometimes. I figured I should show up and pay my respects. I don't really know anybody here, though. Father wanted me to learn Chinese a few years ago, and I just stuck with it. I kind of fell in love with the culture."

"Wow, I had no idea. Small world," Marinette grinned.

"It certainly is," Adrien agreed. He nodded to the woman who had moved behind Marinette. "My condolences," he said in Mandarin.

"Thank you, young man," Marianne responded in French. "Miss, can I talk to you for a second? I want to see if your bakery can help me out with something."

"Of course! I'm happy to help out. Talk to you later, Adrien. It was good seeing you."

"It was good seeing you too, Marinette. Take care." Adrien went over to another small group of people and began talking to them.

* * *

Marianne pulled Marinette discreetly into a corner of the room. "I have something for you. Fu asked me to give this to you personally."

Marinette swallowed and nodded.

"First… this bracelet is your responsibility now." Marianne pulled the Turtle Miraculous from a side pocket on her dress and placed it in Marinette's hand.

Marinette looked at it, choked back a sob, and quickly pocketed it.

"There, there, child… you will always associate the Turtle with Fu. He was a good Guardian and an exceptional mentor to you."

"Thank you, Miss Lenoir." Marinette turned to leave.

"Wait," Marianne commanded. "I have one more thing for you. It is very important that you have this." She passed a small yellow envelope to Marinette. "As Guardian, you must know the identity of each of the Miraculous holders, in case you need to retrieve their Miraculous or come to their aid at any time."

Marinette's eyes widened and her mouth opened. "That's…" she whispered, and stopped herself.

"Your instincts are correct. _This envelope contains the identity of Chat Noir._ Now, I must caution you: you are in a delicate situation here. As Ladybug, knowing his identity without his knowing yours will throw your partnership out of balance. You may find yourself acting differently around him, or preventing him from acting in a way that would save you. Ladybug and Chat Noir should always be in balance. However… as Guardian, if you need to heal his kwami, he will have to come to you, without either of you knowing who each other is. That will be very tricky, but you will have to manage it."

"I'm not sure I should have this," Marinette said, attempting to give the envelope back.

"You _must_. It is part of your responsibility as the Guardian of the Miraculous. The water is on the stovetop. You will know when it is boiling." Marinette jolted at the familiar metaphor. "Now, go. Keep this in a very safe place. Soon, there will be only one person who knows the identity of your beloved cat." She smiled tenderly. "Look after him and take care of him. You will need him more than you think." She walked off and left Marinette alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Mr. Chou left the wake after taking a picture of the guest book. _That was Fu Wang! I would recognize that face anywhere. He must have chosen a new Guardian before he passed. It stands to reason that one of the people at the wake is that person. I talked to everybody there and now that I have a list of who they are, my journey to the Miracle Box is that much shorter! After so long… vengeance will be mine!_

* * *

Marinette was laying in her bed, holding the yellow envelope at her side. The events of that day were racing through her mind. The trapdoor banged open and Tikki dove behind Marinette's pillow to hide. Sabine yelled, "Marinette! Sorry for waking you up… I hope you didn't forget anything this afternoon! I just got a phone call — the community center burned to the ground!"

Marinette bolted upright. "Did they get Mast… I mean, Mister Chan's body out of there?"

Sabine nodded. "Yes, the funeral home came and took care of it immediately after the wake was done. The decorations were still up, though. We weren't going to take those down until tomorrow."

Marinette sighed. "That's good. That stinks about the community center, though."

"I know. I wonder what caused that? It's strange…" Sabine tailed off, lost in thought. "Anyway, honey, good night. I just wanted to make sure you didn't have anything important there for some reason."

"Thanks, Mom." _You're right… that *is* strange._ Marinette shivered as a chill raced down her spine.

* * *

A loud _BANG_ came from the front of the Agreste mansion, followed by a series of smaller bangs as the security screens on Adrien's windows slammed shut.

Adrien leaped from his bed. "What's going on? Plagg! CLAWS OU-!"

The bedroom door burst open and prevented him from completing the call for his transformation. Nathalie ran in, breathless. "Serket is here, Adrien. You need to take shelter. Your bodyguard has already gone down to intercept her."

"What?! He can't stop her!" Adrien's mind flashed back to his encounters with Serket: Alya screaming on a video. An annihilated akuma. _There is no way I am letting *anyone* in this house suffer like that._ _I need to ditch Nathalie and transform, but protocol means that Nathalie is going to stay with me while Father is protected by our bodyguard. I know we pay that man well, but this might be asking too much. Three Miraculous holders couldn't get the edge on Serket the last time we met!_

* * *

In the foyer of the mansion, Serket faced off with the Agreste family bodyguard. "I know there is a Miraculous in this mansion. You will bring it to me. Now."

The bodyguard tensed and shook his head.

"_Scorpion's Sting!_" yelled Serket, and the tip of her _was_-sceptre glowed yellow.

"Stop." Gabriel Agreste's voice commanded from his office door. He was standing in the entryway, hands lightly clasped behind him. "I know what you are here for, and I assure you, it is not here anymore."

"Lies," hissed Serket. "I can sense the presence of a Miraculous here even now! You will give it to me, or feel what the Scorpion can do."

"What you seek is _not here_," insisted Gabriel. The bodyguard moved to get between Gabriel and Serket.

"You… are… _lying_…" breathed Serket. "Do not cause yourself any more trouble than you already have, Agreste. The Miraculous. _Now_." She moved toward the bodyguard, sceptre raised menacingly.

Gabriel looked between the rogue Miraculous holder and his bodyguard. Time stopped as the only noise was the breathing of the three people in the foyer.

The silence was broken by a chirp from one of Serket's bracelets. "_Now_," she commanded again.

"...Very well," conceded Gabriel. He held out his hands, and in it was a small blue brooch. "Here, take it. But I warn you… it will be of no use to you. It is damaged. I attempted to repair it, and failed."

"It is no matter. Once I have retrieved it, we will work to rebuild it. Nothing will stand in our way!" She extended her hand. The bodyguard took the brooch from Gabriel and placed it in Serket's hand, gaze never leaving her sceptre.

The tense silence was broken by a strangled series of coughs coming from a door at the top of the stairs. Serket's head whipped toward the noise. "Well, well… what do we have here? Let's go see what other secrets your mansion holds."


	22. Kwami Trouble

Serket bounded up the stairs and threw open the door to Adrien's room, where she found Nathalie, red-faced and on one knee, frantically trying to stifle the coughs that racked her body. Adrien had hidden under his bed and was doing his best to use breathing techniques to calm his racing heart.

Nathalie held up her hands and cowered. "Serket -" _cough_ "- please… you have what you came for. Don't hurt anyone."

"I didn't come for one Miraculous! I came for the Guardian! Where is he?"

"The… Guardian? I don't know what you are talking about!"

"I have been here multiple times and have sensed multiple Miraculous in this mansion. I am leaving here with one… where are the rest? Where is the Miracle Box?" A second chirp sounded from her bracelet. With a frustrated yell, Serket turned on her heel and marched out of the room. "I will be back!"

Nathalie made to close the door but collapsed in another coughing fit.

A green flash came from under Adrien's bed. Chat Noir emerged, pressed the button next to his desk that deactivated the security features in his bedroom, and ran after Serket. He leaped off of the staircase, twisted in midair, and landed between Serket and the front door, blocking her exit. "Your time is _short_, Serket!" he snarled. "Leave this family alone!"

"Chat Noir! What an unexpected pleasure… for me! I'm going to make quick work of you!" She assumed a fighting stance, which Chat Noir mirrored. Serket immediately advanced rapidly, charged sceptre whirling in a flurry of feints, lunges, and thrusts.

_She's good… better than me,_ Chat Noir thought as he desperately parried and blocked Serket with his baton. _Faster, too. I may have bitten off more than I can chew here, but she's going to transform back soon, so all I have to do is hold her off long enough for everyone else to get to safety…_

Serket's sceptre struck Chat's baton, and Chat parried her again. The momentum of Chat's parry carried Serket over and behind him, where she landed on her feet and thrust her sceptre into Chat's side before he could react, Stinging him!

She knew she had hit her mark when she heard Chat scream. Her bracelet chirped again as she raced out of the mansion. Leaping, she covered several blocks in a series of jumps, de-transforming as she landed in a garden courtyard. She entered her house. _I recovered a Miraculous, but was unable to find the Guardian! I was certain that he was there!_ Balling her fist in frustration, she lashed out and struck some pottery, shattering it.

Footsteps descending on the stairs silenced her inner rage. "...Hello?" a girl's voice asked, tentatively.

"I'm OK, Kagami. Go back upstairs."

"Yes, Mother."

* * *

Chat Noir lay on the ground, groaning and holding his right side. The Agreste family bodyguard had rolled Chat onto his back and was watching him closely. Gabriel was on Chat's other side, regarding him with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

"Don't de-transform if you can help it, Chat Noir. That was my downfall when Serket Stung me. You'll be better able to resist the magic transformed."

"Like… _you_… deserve... to know... who I am," Chat gasped.

Gabriel harrumphed. "Very well. You only have a few more minutes of agony before the Sting wears off. You may see yourself out afterwards." He turned to leave.

"Fa… _wait._" Chat took a deep breath and attempted to sit up. "What was it you gave to Serket?" he forced out.

"I gave her the Peacock Miraculous. It's damaged and anyone who uses it will eventually get very ill. It's what happened to my assistant and to my wife."

Chat tensed, but it wasn't from the pain of the Sting. _Nathalie used it? I guess that explains her cough over the past few months. _"Your… assistant?"

"Yes. During the Heroes Day battle, she wore and activated the Peacock Miraculous to save me."

"And… your wife?"

"She wore the Peacock Miraculous for a while after we first obtained them. We tried to create champions and protectors for our family… for all of Paris, and maybe even for all the world, eventually. We were unaware of the damage to the Miraculous and the side effects that it would have."

Chat Noir gaped at Gabriel, who continued. "When she fell ill, I hid the Peacock Miraculous and used the Butterfly to make supervillains to draw out the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. I believed that using the Wish would save my wife's life. Now, without the Butterfly, I'm forced to rely on your good will… which it appears you have none of for me." He turned and started back to his office, then paused. "I used to go to bed at night knowing that one day I would defeat you and get my wish. Now, I will have to resign myself that I will never see my wife awake again. Good night, Chat Noir."

Gabriel went into his office and shut the door behind him.

Chat pushed himself upright and staggered toward the ruined front door. _I can't tell if how I'm feeling is from the Sting or from what Father just told me_, he thought. Stumbling his way out into the dark night, he found his way to a secluded alley and waited until he was sure the Sting had worn off. He de-transformed and snatched a shivering Plagg from the air.

"Kid…" Plagg started.

"I know, buddy. I've gotta get you to the Guardian. It's late… how are you holding up?"

"I can make it through the night… and you should probably get home before too many people notice you're missing. How are _you_? That was pretty heavy."

"I… I don't know how I am. I'll talk with Ladybug about it when I visit her tomorrow."

He pulled out his flip phone and sent a quick text.

**[CN] Hey, Bug… my kwami's hurt. Need the Guardian tomorrow. Let's work out how to do that.**

He pocketed the phone and made his way back home. Sneaking through a service door, he closed himself in his room, and pulled the phone out again.

**[LB] bad? We can do tonight**

**[CN] He says he can make it through tonight. Text me where and when to show up tomorrow. =^.^=**

**[LB] ok I'll think of something /(%)\**

Adrien put Plagg gently down on his bed and laid down next to him. He stared at the ceiling and drifted off to sleep, his mother's face dancing in his dreams.

* * *

Adrien's Sunday morning started with his flip phone buzzing loudly on his desk. He bolted out of bed and read the text message that he had received.

**[LB] I've got it. Leave your kwami on a bench at the Place des Vosges this morning, and I'll pick him up there. You can wait in the park while I figure out what's wrong. Sound good?**

**[CN] It will have to work. I'm worried about leaving him alone though.**

**[LB] Don't worry, I'll be nearby. Text me when you get there and I'll come get him. Don't let me see you though!**

**[CN] Be there in ten. =^.^=**

* * *

Marinette closed her phone. _He said he'd be here in ten minutes… I'll give him less than five._ She retrieved the gong and mallet from behind her mannequin and placed it next to her computer, where she had already loaded a copy of the grimoire from the flash drive Master Fu had given her. She put a small pillow on her desk. Satisfied, she nodded and called for her transformation. Ladybug grabbed the flip phone and climbed up to her balcony to wait.

As she expected, not two minutes later her phone buzzed again.

**[CN] I'm at the park. How close are you?**

**[LB] I'm right here. Leave Plagg on the second park bench from the entrance, and go hide.**

Ladybug counted the seconds while she waited for a response. She got to eight when the phone buzzed again.

**[CN] Done, my Lady. Come quickly.**

**[LB] omw**

Ladybug leaped from her balcony and landed in the center of the park. She ran over to the park bench, where a small shoebox was placed. Glancing in it, she saw Plagg laying on top of a couple of socks. Ladybug smiled, picked up the box with Plagg in it, then carefully leaped back to her balcony.

**[LB] I've got him. Stay close.**

**[CN] that won't be a problem**

Ladybug carried Plagg down into her bedroom, set the shoebox on her chair, and de-transformed. She looked at the kwami more closely and was shocked to see that his usual jet black color was slightly faded.

The flip phone buzzed again.

**[CN] My Lady… can I be on speakerphone when you do this?**

Marinette paused to consider Chat's proposition. _If I close my eyes, I can see him giving me that kitten face! Well, it's not like we'll be face-to-face as Ladybug and Chat Noir without our costumes on. And, we've talked with each other as Ladybug and Chat Noir without the masks, too! At least it won't be in a sewer this time. What's the worst that could happen?_

She gently placed Plagg on the pillow, thumbed the "Call" button and turned speakerphone on.

Chat answered before the first ring had finished. "My Lady? Oh, thank you… I'm so worried about him. Can you heal him?"

"One thing at a time, Kitty… and you've got to let me concentrate a bit, so if I go quiet, just let me have some space, OK? I've never done this before."

"No, of course… sorry."

"Tell me what happened. How did Plagg get hurt?"

"Serket Stung me while I was transformed, and…"

"_What?!_ You fought Serket and didn't _tell _me? What on earth were you thinking?"

"Easy, my Lady. I was… um… at the Agreste mansion, and she had showed up, and everything happened too fast for me to contact you. I…"

"Hold on, back up! What were you doing at the Agreste mansion? You weren't there to fight Gabriel, were you?"

"No, nothing like that! I was… um… out getting some fresh air and I usually pass the mansion on my regular route. I saw that the front door was kicked in, so I went to investigate. Serket was standing there in the foyer when I got there."

"Was anybody else hurt?"

"No… but Gabriel gave her something. The Peacock Miraculous."

"_Whaaaat?!_ You mean to tell me that Gabriel had the Butterfly _and_ the Peacock Miraculous? And he only gave us _one_? And the other one is in the hands of a _supervillain_ now?"

"Technically it was already in the hands of a supervillain, Bug, but yes. Serket has it now."

_Oh, no!_ Marinette thought. _This is a disaster! Hang on… I need to keep it together and focus. Heal Plagg first, then talk more later._ "That's… not good. OK. Hang tight. I need to recite an incantation to help Plagg." She waited for a response from Chat, but was met with silence. _Hey, he can actually be quiet! Who knew?_ She smiled and scrolled to the page in the grimoire with the strengthening incantation on it. Reading over it, her smile was quickly replaced by a frown. "Kitty? I've got some bad news."

"What?" A note of panic rose in Chat's voice. "You can't do it? Please tell me you can do it," he pleaded.

"I can do it, Kitty… but I'll need your Miraculous. Can you leave it at the same place? No, put it under the bench this time. I'll be right over. Don't hang up."

* * *

Adrien spoke into his flip phone from the park, "I don't like giving my Miraculous up, but I understand." He removed his ring and put it where Ladybug had asked. "OK. It's under the bench. Swing on over." He heard Ladybug call for her transformation and closed his eyes so he wouldn't see where she arrived from. Concealing himself behind a tree, he heard a light _thump_ as she landed. _C'mon, my Lady…_

His phone squawked again. "OK, I'm back. Thanks, Kitty. I promise to have him up and running quickly. Spots off!"

Adrien stared at his phone in amazement as the realization that _yes, he was talking to Ladybug's civilian identity_ struck him full force. He blushed and grinned as he heard Ladybug recite an incantation in what sounded like Chinese. _She really is amazing. I don't know if I'll *ever* get over her._ A gong from Ladybug's side of the phone stirred him back to awareness.

"OK, Kitty, I've done the best I could. I'll keep him here today to see if he's getting any better and if I need to do the incantation again."

"You mean I can't take Plagg back now?"

"I'm sorry, Kitty… like I said, this is my first time doing this. Plus, if Plagg's feeling the effects of Serket's Sting, I want to keep an eye on him to see if there are any after effects we don't know of."

"What if Serket strikes again?"

"I'll figure something out, Kitty. OK? You sound like you need some rest, too. How are you doing, by the way? If Serket Stung you in costume, you must have been hurt too! Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine, Bug. It was like I had the wind knocked out of me really bad for a few minutes. The worst part was Gabriel monologuing to me while I was laying there helpless. I really don't understand that man," Adrien said through gritted teeth.

"Monologuing? What did he say? He can't still be trying to get the Miraculous, could he?"

"Well… I think he is. And, Bug, I think we should consider using the Wish for him, too."

"Wait… _what?!_" Ladybug screeched. A muffled "_Sorry!_" quickly followed.

_She must have scared whomever else is over there,_ Adrien figured. "Yeah. He told me he had the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous so he and his wife could help others be superheroes. But the Peacock Miraculous is damaged somehow, and his wife got sick from using it too much. That's why she's in a coma somewhere." His voice quieted. "That's why she disappeared."

"So, he thought being a supervillain was the answer? I'm sorry, Kitty, but if he thinks that the answer to his problems was making people's lives miserable, I don't think he deserves a second chance!"

"Just… think about it, OK, My Lady?" Tears welled up in Adrien's eyes, and his voice caught. "It seems like there's an innocent life we could help save."

* * *

Marinette flipped the phone closed after reassuring Chat Noir that she would consider using the Wish. _That's weird… considering how he reacted when Gabriel surrendered the Butterfly to us, I would think he wouldn't want anything to do with him. I wonder what caused the change of heart?_

She tucked the flip phone in her purse. "Tikki…" she said. "Are all of my decisions as Guardian going to be this hard?"

"You're doing great so far, Marinette. Nothing about this is going to be easy, but you are handling it very well so far."

"Thanks, Tikki. Plus, I have the best friend in the world I can share this with," she said fondly.

The moment was interrupted by the Akuma Alert app on Marinette's regular phone.

_BREAKING NEWS: Supervillain Serket has been spotted at the Trocadero. Please avoid the area until further notice._

She put the phone on her desk. "Here we go again, Tikki! And we're one Miraculous user down," Marinette sighed.

"Will you be bringing me again?" Sass said from over Marinette's shoulder.

"_Waaaagh!_ Sass, you _have_ to stop startling me like that! ...What are you doing out of the Miracle Box, anyway?"

"You still haven't replaced the bangle," he said with his typical sly smile.

"Oh my goodness, I totally forgot! What else could go wrong?"

Wayzz floated into view from behind Marinette's dresser. "You never put the bracelet back, either."

Marinette thumped her head on the desk and groaned.

"Chin up, Guardian," Plagg said cheerfully. "At least you haven't accidentally destroyed anything yet."

"Thanks, Plagg… I think," Marinette replied without raising her head.

"WHAT THE -?!" her father's voice came from the kitchen below. "How did the candy thermometer manage to dissolve in the pot? I thought these things were indestructible! _Sabine!_"

Marinette froze, eyes wide. _That must have been a side effect of focusing Destruction energy to strengthen Plagg. I wonder if it's too early for me to get my own place... a padded room would be nice right about now._ She shook her head to clear it and opened the Miracle Box. She replaced the Turtle Miraculous and called for her transformation.

"Not today, Plagg," she smiled. "You'll be back with Kitty in no time, I promise." She scratched him under the chin, then placed him back in his shoebox, with the Cat Miraculous next to him. She stowed the gong, mallet, and shoebox behind her mannequin and locked her computer.

The phone on her desk rang. Ladybug glanced at it only to see _Luka Couffaine_ on the screen. She went to pick it up, then decided against it. _Paris is more important right now… and besides, I'm going to see him in a couple of minutes anyway._ She leaped out of her skylight, ignoring the continued ringing of the phone on her desk.


	23. Scorpion and Snake II

Ladybug swung over to the houseboat and saw Luka sitting on the deck, looking at something on his phone. She landed in front of him, and he looked up at her and frowned. "Hey, Ladybug," he sighed. "What's up?"

"I need a partner. Ready to help out?" She held a small box out in front of her.

"Oh… um… listen. About that. Um. I don't think I'm going to be able to do that today, sorry."

Ladybug boggled at him. "I need Viperion," she insisted in a low voice, double-checking to see that nobody was watching.

"I'm sorry, Ladybug," he said, not meeting her gaze. "My heart's just not into heroing right now. Maybe next time, okay?"

_Master Fu didn't bother telling me what to do if someone refuses being chosen to wield a Miraculous! I should just clap the bangle on his wrist and… Hold it, Ladybug. If something's going on with him, then it's probably best to not force the issue right now. _"Maybe next time," she agreed. Without another word, she threw her yo-yo to the sky and swung to a nearby rooftop.

_What on earth happened? Something's got him down in the dumps. I'll have to check on him after we deal with Serket… but *who* am I going to get to face her with? Nino and Alya are out of town, Chloe is doing who knows what… and all I have with me is the Snake Miraculous._ She drummed her fingertips on her chin, frowning. _I know! It's worth a risk… but I bet there's somebody out there who would love to get their hands on Serket. Let me see if they're home._

She unleashed her yo-yo and leaped away.

* * *

After a few minutes, Ladybug was perched at Adrien Agreste's bedroom window. _Keep it together… you can do this._ She steeled herself and knocked.

Adrien's head appeared above the back of the couch, and he almost fell over himself to let Ladybug in. "Ladybug! Is everything OK? I saw that Serket was over at the Trocadero… is she headed this way again?"

"I have a proposition for you," she said, hopping into the room.

"Name it," Adrien replied.

Ladybug took a deep breath and held out her hand. "Adrien Agreste. This is the Miraculous of the Snake, which grants the power of Suggestion. You will use it for the greater good. When you are done, you will return the Miraculous to me. Can I count on you?"

Adrien regarded the box in Ladybug's outstretched hand. _Huh… looks like I'll get my next opportunity against Serket sooner rather than later. I just can't let too much Chat Noir show through, and my Lady should be none the wiser! I hope…_ He reached out, took the box, and opened it. A bluish-green light swirled around and dissolved, leaving Sass in its wake. Adrien took the bangle and put it on his left wrist. "How do I transform?"

"Don't you want an explanation of what you're getting into?"

"Ladybug, I know what you're capable of and what you're asking me to do. And honestly… I follow your exploits as closely as I can. Between you and me, I'd follow you to the moon without a spacesuit if you asked."

Ladybug's eyes widened and her jaw slackened. She closed her mouth with a snap and shook her head. "Wow. OK. This is the Snake kwami, Sass. To transform, all you have to do is say _Sass, Let's Slide!_"

Adrien punched the air with his left hand and said, "Sass, _Let's Slide!_"

A teal light flashed around Adrien as his costume began to take shape. When the light faded, Adrien was wearing a dark teal bodysuit, with light teal patches on his shoulders and knees. Another teal patch that was vaguely shaped like a snake's head was on his torso. His forearms and lower legs were nearly black, and he had teal snakeskin-patterned gloves. His hair was almost entirely covered by a teal snakeskin mask with a black centerpiece. The mask continued and covered his eyes, which had turned yellow and taken on the appearance of snake eyes. At the bottom of the mask were two small snake fangs. Two gold diamonds were on the top of his head, with more on the backs of his hands, his chest, and his knees. He carried a small teal lyre.

Ladybug's jaw dropped again. _He looks… good! Who would have thought that yesterday's fashion show would have led to him modeling a superhero outfit for me today? He's got that eye thing going too, like Chat and Luka… I should ask Sass if that's something he does or something that the holders want._ "That outfit _suits_ you, Mr. Model… which is a terrible superhero name. What should we call you?"

He burst out laughing. "That was an amazing pun! Your sense of humor is _spot on_." He grinned, and she pinked in return. "Um… let's see… name… I'm… _Aspik._ Call me Aspik." He smiled, and his face quickly became puzzled as Ladybug squinted at his mouth. "Are you alright, my… Ladybug?"

She barked a nervous laugh. "Ha! Um, don't mind me… just checking for fangs." Ladybug's face was in full blush. "We should get going… your Miraculous enhances all of your physical abilities. You'll be able to jump with me to a rooftop and then we can run across them to get to the Trocadero quickly. Let's get moving, Aspik! We've got a job to do."

* * *

Ladybug gave Aspik the details on his weapon and his special power on the way to the Trocadero. By the time Ladybug and Aspik arrived on the scene, the usual crowd had cleared away and Serket was left to prowl the area, looking for a fight. _Good, people are seeing how dangerous she really is,_ Ladybug thought to herself. _She looks like she's waiting for something… or someone. If it's me, she's not going to like what I've come here with! _"Let's get the jump on her, Aspik," she whispered. "You land behind her, I'll land in front. _Go!_"

The two superheroes landed as planned, causing Serket to brandish her _was-_sceptre in a wide arc. "Ladybug and Chat Noir, I presume?" She smiled wickedly. "Where is the friend you had last time? Did he get scared and run away?"

Ladybug unlatched her yo-yo and began spinning it. _Did she not see Adrien? She knows there are two people here… maybe she's just guessing that Kitty's the one behind her. And maybe she's right about Viperion..._ "I'd hate to disappoint you this early in our meeting, Serket," she responded icily. "But we think the two of us can handle you just fine!"

Aspik plucked a string on his lyre. "And I hate to _break_ it to you, Serket… but Chat Noir's not here either! Instead, you get to deal with _me!_"

Serket whirled to face Aspik. "And who might _you_ be? You're not the hero from last time… no matter. You will feel Serket's Sting by the time I am through with you!" She took a fighting stance and moved to engage Aspik.

"Not so fast, Serket!" Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around Serket's legs and pulled, causing Serket to trip forward. Serket tucked and rolled, using her momentum to catapult Ladybug through the air!

Aspik sprinted backwards about 50 yards and was able to catch Ladybug before she hit the ground. Aspik hesitated before setting Ladybug down gently, pinking a bit.

"Thanks, Aspik! Now, we've got work to do!" Ladybug rewound her yo-yo and charged toward Serket, who had regained her feet and resumed a fighting stance.

"Let's do this!" Aspik yelled. "Hey Serket! Getting _bored_? I've got something _electric_ for you!" He leaped between the charging Ladybug and Serket. He swung at Serket wildly with his lyre, drawing her attack and turning her away from Ladybug. Ladybug readied her yo-yo when Serket connected with her sceptre, knocking Aspik down with a single blow!

"NO!" Ladybug cried. _I've got to get Adrien out of there… he's no match for Serket! _She changed targets with her yo-yo and wrapped Aspik up, sliding him out from underneath another blow from Serket's sceptre. She leaped to the top of a nearby roof, untangled Aspik, and asked, "Are you OK?"

"Ladybug… I'm _fine_. You wasted an opportunity. While her back was turned, you should have wrapped her up and we could be done. I know what I signed up for when I took the Miraculous. You don't need to protect me - we're a _team_ out there."

"But, Ad-"

"_No buts_, Ladybug. I may be the new guy on the block, but stopping Serket is more important than Adrien Agreste right now. Let's get back to work."

Ladybug stared at Aspik and blinked. She nodded slowly, then said. "You're right. I'm sorry. We can't fight effectively if we're not focused on the goal. Thanks for reminding me, Ad- Aspik." She took a deep breath. "Ready to go?"

Aspik nodded and hummed in agreement. "Let me distract her again, and then you wrap her up. Hopefully she'll fall for the same trick twice." He leaped back to Serket without checking to see if Ladybug would follow. "Hey, sorry about that one," he yelled, landing on the far side of Serket. "Got our wires crossed… but I think we can complete this now!"

"I hope your legs run faster than your mouth, hero! _Scorpion's Sting!_" The tip of her _was-_sceptre began to glow.

"You're the one who will need to run, Serket!" Aspik nodded at Ladybug, who landed behind Serket and immediately wrapped her up with the yo-yo, pinning her arm at her side. She squirmed, trying desperately to free herself without being Stung.

"Want to hear a tune, Serket? I made it up all by myself! _Snake Charm!_" He strummed his lyre, and a beam of light shot from it and hit Serket square in the chest!

Serket went limp.

"Stand up and remove your Miraculous, Serket," Aspik said. "Ladybug, I think you'll have to release her so she can comply."

Ladybug cautiously released Serket, then began spinning her yo-yo, eyes narrowed, waiting for a trap. Serket dropped the sceptre, stood up, and reached for her wrist. Suddenly from above, a new voice called, "_Justice fire!_"

Bright orange flames shot from the sky and surrounded Serket. Ladybug and Aspik shielded their faces and took a step back. They saw a figure swoop down from the sky, snatch Serket, and take off in the blink of an eye!

By the time they recovered, the ring of flames died down slightly. Neither Serket nor her savior were anywhere to be seen. "Can you reach Serket's sceptre?" Aspik asked. His Miraculous gave a loud chirp.

"I don't want to risk that magical fire. There's no telling what it can do to us. We need to get you out of here, Aspik," Ladybug said tersely.

"I couldn't agree more," he replied.

They looked at each other, leaped to the nearest rooftop, and started running to the Agreste mansion. "I'll have to discuss this with Kit… uh, Chat Noir," Ladybug said, over her shoulder.

"Speaking of Chat, where is he, anyway?"

"Oh… well, there's no harm in telling you the truth. Serket Stung Chat, and his kwami was injured. While his kwami recuperates, Chat's out of action."

"Nothing serious, I hope?"

"It's too early to tell for sure right now, but I think he'll be fine. Thankfully," Ladybug added. She was ahead of Aspik and didn't turn around, so she missed the smile that crossed his face.

* * *

Ladybug and Aspik landed on the windowsill of Adrien's bedroom. "Ladybugs first," Aspik said, grinning.

Ladybug blushed and hopped into the bedroom, Aspik following behind her.

"What's the de-transformation phrase, Ladybug? As much as I've enjoyed this, I think it's time I _shed_ this superhero persona."

Ladybug rolled her eyes and groaned. "It's _Let's Hide_," she said. "Chat must have had the time of his life when he checked in on you the other day - I bet you did nothing but sit here and say puns all the time. The ones you dropped during battle were pretty bad… almost as bad as his." She did her best to look stern, but a smile twitched at the corner of her lips.

"Bad in the best way, you mean. As for me and Chat… he drops in every now and again. We mostly play video games. He's pretty decent at Ultimate Mecha Strike III."

"Really… and here I was thinking that he was all talk." Ladybug paused, weighing what to say next. "Can I ask you something?" she asked shyly.

"Sure, Ladybug. Anything," he said, all playfulness gone from his demeanor. "Let me de-transform, first. _Let's Hide!_" There was a bluish-green flash of light, and Aspik's costume disappeared. "What do you want to know?" Adrien asked.

She traced a pattern on the floor with her foot. _I know this breaks pretty much every rule that I've ever had since I've become Ladybug… but since I'm also the Guardian now, I really *should* ask. I don't want to pry into Chat's personal life, but… I need to be able to be there for him in any way I can._

"Ladybug?" Adrien prompted.

Ladybug looked up. The tenderness in her voice clashed with the look of uncertainty on her face. _If I ask this… I don't think Adrien will be interested in Ladybug anymore. I don't want to give him the wrong impression - on either side of the mask! But, I don't want to hurt him, either. _"You're the only person I know besides me who interacts with Chat on a regular basis. I don't know who he is under the mask - all I know is what he lets me see. So, I'd like to know… what's he like around you?"

Adrien briefly looked stunned, then thoughtful. "Wow! That's… a good question, actually. Sure, he says puns sometimes, but I don't think he's as much like a cartoon character that he makes himself out to be when he's in superhero mode. You know what I'm saying? Like, he acts a certain way with you because he has an idea of what superheroes are supposed to be like. He also thinks that over-the-top chivalry will win your heart."

Ladybug opened her mouth to say something, but Adrien cut her off. "Don't shoot the messenger here, please! I'm just telling you what he's told me. Anyway… he's actually very thoughtful. He's concerned about my home life, about how much support I get from my friends, things like that. He's not above beating me in video games or giving me a hard time when I deserve it, but he cares. Does that answer your question?"

Ladybug nodded. "That helps a lot. I know he cares about people, and he especially cares about me. I'm glad to see that extends beyond his duties as a superhero."

He took a deep breath. "He doesn't just _care_ about you, Ladybug… he _adores_ you. I wouldn't say he worships the ground you walk on, but it's pretty close. Whatever he's said to you… he's sincere about it. You're more than his partner; you're nearly his entire reason for existence. Without Ladybug… there is no Chat Noir. He's seen what you can do… but he also sees _who you are._ And to Chat, you're more than a superhero. You _care_. You drop everything at a moment's notice to save Paris or check in on a friend. You don't just make things the way they were… you make them _better_. Even from the first battle - would Ivan and Mylène have gotten together if you didn't help them out after you freed the akuma? You don't just make _Chat's_ world a better place, you make _the_ world a better… _oh my gosh, are you crying?_ I'm so sorry! Here, let me get you a tissue." He ran off to the bathroom and returned with a box of tissues, handing it to Ladybug.

She took it gratefully, dabbed at her eyes, then blew her nose. "It's OK. I'm… OK. He told you all of that?"

Adrien nodded shyly, looking at her with a mixture of hope and fear. _There it is… I saw my opening and I took my shot. We'll see where it lands. I hope I didn't upset her - and I hope that when I get Plagg back, our partnership isn't wrecked._ "Yeah," he whispered.

Ladybug suddenly rushed forward and enveloped Adrien in a hug. "Thank you for telling me," she said softly. "And thank you for coming out with me today. Even with everything you've been through recently - you really stepped up. It means a lot." She stepped back. "I should go. But… if I need Aspik again?"

"Just say the word, Ladybug." He handed her the Snake Miraculous, which she put inside her yo-yo. Sass flew in as well, and Ladybug closed her yo-yo back up.

Ladybug nodded. "Bug out!" She slung her yo-yo out the window and leaped into the Paris afternoon.

* * *

Ladybug made it to the top of the nearest rooftop before she had to stop. _Chat… feels that way… about me?! Oh, man… I need to talk to Tikki, stat._ She lowered herself down to the street, then ducked into an alley to de-transform. One pink flash of light and red blur later, Marinette was holding her purse up to her face, talking to the kwami inside of it while she speed-walked to her house.

"Tikki! Holy cow, did you hear that? What Adrien said that Chat said to him about me? And how Chat feels about me? Tikki, I think I'm going to _die!_ I had _no idea_ that he felt that way about me."

"You should open that envelope you have," came a different voice from her purse.

"_Sass!_ I swear, if you weren't effective against Serket, I would just shut you in the Miracle Box for all the good you are doing me right now! I'll get to you later!"

Tikki giggled. "Marinette, Adrien was just saying what was in his heart… _Chat's_ heart, that is."

"I know that, Tikki, but I had no idea that he felt that way about me! I know that when he wants to he can be so sweet, and he picks me up when I feel like I can't go on, and he's always there when I need him… it's just that he is _very clearly_ in love with me, and I don't understand why it is _so hard for me_ to love him back - oh!" She started as she crashed into somebody and fell down. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there, and I wasn't paying attention, don't mind me…" She looked at the person she crashed into. "Luka!"

"Hey, Marinette… are you alright?"

Marinette could only sit there with her eyes wide and her mouth in an O.

* * *

Luka helped Marinette off of the ground. "Sorry for startling you… we're having a band rehearsal, and Ivan, Rose, and Juleka were wondering if you were able to squeeze in a fitting for their outfits yet. I volunteered to swing by to ask you in person, but you weren't picking up your phone, and… it looks like you weren't home, either."

"My phone? Oh… I had to run out and I think I left it on my desk. I'm _so sorry!_ I usually don't forget stuff like that, but it's been a whirlwind of a day for me."

"Wait a minute… if your phone is on your desk, then… who were you talking to just now?"

Marinette's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. _This is a disaster! Think, Marinette! There's got to be something you can say to reassure him… um… something you did today that's not Ladybug-related._ Her brow furrowed and her eyes darted from side to side in an attempt to recall something that she could tell him. "Well… let's see… um… I had to help a friend with a cat… _his_ cat… his cat was sick, and he needed help with that!"

Luka looked Marinette in the eyes and squinted. Frowning, he said, "I understand, Marinette. There's something you'd rather not tell me, and whatever that is, that's your business. I just…" he sighed. "I just care about you _a lot_, Marinette. I wish you would let me be your everything. Someone you can talk to about anything. Someone who you share your entire life with. I wanted to hear the song of your heart - but right now…" He sighed again. "Look. I heard what you were saying just now. I don't know why you find it so hard to love me back. Have I done something wrong? Talk to me," he pleaded.

"Luka, that's not what I was talking about! I wasn't talking about y-" she cut herself off and clapped her hands over her mouth, realizing her mistake.

Luka's expression became inscrutable. "Oh. Well, that's something else entirely then, isn't it? Tell you what. I'm going to head on over to the houseboat, and if you want to bring the clothes over so everyone else can make sure they fit, that's cool. And if you don't want to, that's cool, too." He walked over to his moped, got on, and started it.

"Luka - _wait!_ It's not what you think!"

He drove away.


	24. Green and Blue

Marinette went up through the bakery to her room, giving her mother a half-hearted wave as she passed through. She closed the trap door behind her and made to put everything - and every_one_ \- in her purse away for a bit when she noticed her phone about to vibrate off of her desk. She ran over, grabbed it, and saw there was a stream of text message notifications from Alya.

_I could use this distraction right now_, Marinette thought, and opened the messaging app.

**[Alya] girl what is going on up there?**

**[Alya] TWO new superheroes**

**[Alya] and me without my camera. i have to rely on secondhand footage for the ladyblog**

**[Alya] u should go out there and help me figure out who the new heroes are**

**[Alya] they're both snakes? wtf is up with that? i thought all the heroes were different animals**

**[Alya] are u ignoring me? jk text back when you get a sec. you're probably out with luka or something**

_On second thought… this is *not* the distraction I need._ _Might as well go to the band practice so I can see how those outfits look._ She packed Ivan's, Juleka's, and Rose's outfits into a bag, grabbed some chalk and a measuring tape, and set off for the houseboat.

* * *

Adrien flopped down on his bed after Ladybug left.

"What do you think about that, Plagg?" he asked. He leaned up on one elbow and looked around sadly, remembering that his kwami and friend was still at the Guardian's. _I need someone to talk to… someone to sort out my feelings, or just someone to get all of what's in me out._ His phone buzzed and he picked it up.

**[Rose] You coming to practice? Or does your dad have you doing stuff again?**

_Oh shoot! I missed the last band meeting… I really should go this time._ He looked at his bare right hand, then thought _Looks like I'm walking_. He stuffed his phone in his pocket, looked back at the flip phone on his desk, and put that in his other pocket. He raced down the stairs and was stopped by his bodyguard. "Band practice," Adrien explained. His bodyguard nodded and led Adrien to the limousine. They drove away in silence.

* * *

Chou was pacing the floor of the Tsurugi living room. "You are letting your heart rule you too much! I warned you that Vengeance would eventually overtake you," he spat.

"You are only saying that because you have Justice ruling your head," Mrs. Tsurugi retorted.

Chou fingered his pendant. "We must be cautious… you almost fell to the heroes today, and if that happens, then your mission to avenge your ancestors will not have the outcome you desire. We have been patient long enough… we can not afford to waste this opportunity!"

"What are you saying, Chou?! Burning down Fu Wang's wake was a move that came totally from your head? No, that was from your _heart_. You are as passionate about this as I am, and you have waited three times as long as I have for this moment. Our window is closing! We must _act!_ And now that you have revealed yourself, our window is closing even faster! I have been closer to getting the Miracle Box than you have… I even succeeded in recovering a Miraculous! What have you done other than terrorize some old men and burn down a building?"

"The Miraculous you recovered has been damaged beyond my ability to repair it. It's useless," Chou seethed. "You want action? Fine, I will give you some action. But you _must _follow my lead here! Because you have overplayed your hand, we cannot move about as freely as we are used to doing. The Guardian must be suspicious that we are looking for him. I am nearly at the end of the list I made at the wake and have two people left to investigate. Thankfully, you took care of the Agreste household already. We must select our targets and move quickly, lest the Guardian slip through our fingers. We were able to track the Guardian to Paris through the affinity of the Miraculous, and use the affinity to track a Miraculous to the Agreste mansion… we must not fail this time!"

* * *

Adrien's bodyguard dropped him off at the boat and indicated that he would be back in two hours. Adrien shot him a thumbs-up and boarded the boat. Kitty Section were already set up and running through their first song.

"Hey, Adrien!" Rose called out. "Come join us! We're glad you came!"

"Sorry, guys… it's been a really busy week. Sounds like we have a new song! What's it called?"

"It doesn't have a name yet… Luka is writing the lyrics this time. We just call it _New Song_."

"Can't argue with that!" Adrien took his place behind the keyboard and the band launched into the new song. Adrien listened for a verse before trying to play along.

Right before the song ended, Marinette walked up. The band stopped playing and Rose squealed into the microphone "Marinette! You brought our outfits! Let's take five, guys!" She ran up to Marinette and said, "I can't wait to see what you made for us! I know it's going to be great! Come on guys, let's go below decks and try these on!"

"I already did," said Luka.

"Me too!" added Adrien. Luka looked at him suspiciously.

Marinette, Ivan, Rose, and Juleka all went below decks. Luka strummed his guitar and Adrien stood awkwardly at the keyboard. After a few minutes, Adrien asked Luka, "Can you run through that new song with me, please? I want to make sure I get it right."

"Yeah… no problem," Luka replied, not meeting his eyes. He started playing chords. "Here's how the verse goes."

"This is pretty catchy, Luka. I like it!"

"Cool. Say, Adrien… how's your summer break been? You been staying busy?"

"The usual," Adrien hedged. "My father generally keeps my schedule full."

Luka grinned. "So I've heard! What did he have you doing today?"

"Oh, thankfully today I had the day off. It was a good thing, too. My, um, cat got sick and I had to take him to the, um, cat doctor," Adrien trailed off lamely.

Luka's mind flashed back to his conversation with Marinette in front of the bakery. "Your cat, huh? I hope he's OK now."

"Thanks… me too."

Adrien missed the narrowed look that Luka gave him.

* * *

Adrien's bodyguard took him home after rehearsal was over. Rose, Juleka, and Ivan had spent most of the rest of the time below decks with Marinette, so Adrien worked on the new song with Luka. _That was kind of awkward… did I do anything? Luka's not the most talkative person, but he's usually more outwardly friendly. Aaahhh.. I've still got a lot I need to get out… *and* it's been a while since I've seen Kagami… maybe I can kill two birds with one stone._ He pulled out his phone.

**[Adrien] Hey, sorry, been a busy couple of days. Want to get together later?**

**[Kagami] No worries - been busy for me too. Mom's been practicing her fencing with me relentlessly over the past few days, so I haven't had much time to get away. Tonight is more practice, so just come on over now. 34 rue Goscinny-Uderzo. See you in a bit**

_Wow,_ Adrien thought. _She would give Nathalie a run for her money. Guess I'll head on over…_

**[Adrien] See you soon!**

* * *

Adrien won the argument with his father and Nathalie about walking unaccompanied to the Tsurugi house. He walked up to number 34 and knocked on the door. The manservant of the house answered and bade him entry. Shortly after he entered, Kagami descended the stairs. "Hey! Come on up, we'll have more privacy. Mom has had a houseguest over here for the past couple of weeks." She led Adrien up to her room.

Kagami's bedroom was very minimally furnished. The first thing Adrien noticed was the fencing dummy in the corner of the room. Next to that was an assortment of medals and trophies in a display case. A simple bed with a red comforter and pillow and a desk with a wooden chair completed the furnishings. There was a small stuffed animal - the one Adrien won from the carnival the other night, he recognized - on the desk. The walls were painted a soft gray and mostly bare, except for a small calendar hanging near the desk.

She sat down on her bed, and Adrien pulled out the chair to face her and sat in it. "So! Nice room," he said lamely.

"I know you're probably used to a lot more than this, what with your room and Chloe's room at the hotel," Kagami started.

"Oh! I am, but you don't have to apologize, Kagami. It's very nice," Adrien countered politely.

"I'm not _apologizing_, Adrien. This is my room, and I love it. I just thought you might want an example that it's possible to live successfully without lavish furnishings. Now, tell me what you've been up to since our night at the carnival." She folded her arms and waited expectantly.

"Well… let's see… I went out on Friday night and did some clothes shopping. Saturday morning I went over to Marinette's and showed them to her before I tried on some clothes she made for the band. I went to a wake on Saturday afternoon at the Chinese community center, then earlier today I, um, hung out with a friend in the morning, and then had band practice before coming over here. Band practice was _weird_," he concluded.

"Huh… Mom's houseguest was at that wake, I think. Anyway, band practice was weird in what way? I thought that was all your friends from school?"

"They are! Well, the guitarist, Luka, isn't. He's Juleka's older brother. Kind of quiet, but still really thoughtful and nice. Today, though, he just seemed off for some reason. Marinette showed up at the rehearsal just after I did, and she and the rest of the band went to try on their clothes. It was just Luka and me up above, and he was… _different_ all of a sudden. Frosty."

"You don't say… what happened right before everyone went below decks?"

"Hmm… well, we were playing a new song, and Marinette showed up and offered to have everyone try on the outfits that she made for them. Both Luka and I had already been fit for our outfits, so we stayed behind and practiced the new song some more, but it was… just really awkward. Maybe he and Marinette are going through a rough spot or something."

"Wait, back up. He and Marinette…?"

"Yeah, I think they've dating for a couple of weeks now."

"Has this been the first time she's been at band practice with you since they've been dating?"

"I think so, yeah."

Kagami pinched the bridge of her nose. "OK, so this is what I was talking about when I mentioned that you were socially oblivious. Let me point out a few things for you and see what conclusion you draw. First: Only you and he had been fit for the outfits at that point, right? Actually, let me back up: you two are both boys, right?"

Adrien made an annoyed face. "_Yes_," he replied.

"OK, good, just checking," Kagami grinned. "And you and he were the only ones who had been fit, right?"

"Two for two," Adrien sighed.

"Great. Now, if Luka and Marinette are dating, and they have a special relationship, where he might get certain… let's say _privileges_ because of that relationship, then he might feel jealous because someone else got those privileges. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, I guess… but Marinette doesn't give me any special privileges, and I'm not looking for those from her! She's just a friend!"

Kagami hummed, then said slowly, "Adrien… does _Marinette_ think she's just a friend?"

"I don't think why she wouldn't!" Adrien said matter-of-factly.

"Adrien… OK, I want you to go through a couple of things with me. Before we left for England, she ran up to you and gave you something that she said she could only get from you. What was that?"

"A prescription, oddly enough."

"A _prescription?_ OK, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for that. How about at the movie premiere? What did she give you there?"

"A cookie that she had made for me."

"We're getting warmer. Has there been anything else she's given you?"

"Well, let's see… she's gotten me some assignments, And I think she wrote me a poem, but I can't prove it…"

"She wrote you a poem?!"

"Well, like I said, I can't prove it…"

"I must be missing something here… Adrien, please, for the love of humanity, tell me how on earth this girl managed to break your heart so bad that one day before fencing class. Because from everything I have seen and from what you have told me, that girl has a crush on you so hard it's almost unhealthy."

"What? _Marinette_ break my heart?" He shook his head emphatically. "No, she's got to be the sweetest, most caring person I've met. I think she'd rather die than hurt anyone else's feelings deliberately. It wasn't her."

"OK, so if I'm following you correctly, when you changed your target, it wasn't from _Marinette_? Wait, no, you told me that already. OK, that makes sense… but if she's so high on you, _why didn't you do anything about it?_"

"Umm… well… I might have had my eye on somebody else…" Adrien shifted uncomfortably in his seat and stared at the floor.

Kagami moved to sit on the edge of her bed. "_Who on earth_ were you that infatuated with that you didn't notice _Marinette_ of all people? I went against everything I ever believed in and waited to make a move on you in the first place out of respect for her! And it wasn't even _her?!_"

Adrien looked up shyly. "...Ladybug?" he whispered.

"Oh my _gosh_," Kagami moaned, flopping backwards on her bed. "When you told me that your romantic life was 'complicated', I would never have guessed that you had your eyes on a superhero. You are a lost cause, do you know that? Let me ask you this: are you still into Ladybug?"

"Yes?" Adrien said hesitantly. He looked away and cringed as a muffled scream came from Kagami's bed.

She put her pillow back in place and sat up. "OK." She took a deep breath. "OK."

"I should go," Adrien said.

"You're not going anywhere," Kagami spat. "Look, I told you that you shouldn't be ashamed for wanting something for yourself. You want Ladybug? Fine. Go get Ladybug. I'll even _help_ you as much as I can because I'm your friend and that's what friends do. But _so help me_, Adrien, if she breaks your heart again and you keep going after her, I'm not sure which one of you two I'll beat up first."

* * *

Marinette brought the bag containing the band's outfits back to the house. _Thankfully I didn't have to do much. Ivan is the hardest since he's got the most movement, and imperfections won't stand out too much since he'll be behind a drum kit most of the show, but I still want everyone to look their best._ She dropped the bag on her chaise and stretched. _Doing work really is the best therapy. I'm so glad that I'm able to stay busy and keep my mind focused on other things when I need to._

Tikki flew out of her purse. "Sounds like you were able to relax a bit, Marinette! Just what the doctor ordered!"

"You have _no idea_, Tikki. I'm still concerned about Luka, though… we didn't get a chance to say much during practice since I was tied up with the other band members. I'm still reeling a bit over what Adrien said to me after the Serket battle, too. _And_ I need to check on Plagg, _and_ I need to talk to Chat about that new person that showed up to rescue Serket, _and_ there's this envelope that's burning a hole in my pocket that I need to find a home for, _and _I never went back to Gabriel Agreste after he surrendered Nooroo and the Butterfly Miraculous! Ughh… this is a _disaster!_ I'm never going to get all of this done!" Marinette paced back and forth, chewing on her fingernails.

"Slow _down_, Marinette! Let's take this one thing at a time!"

"How on Earth did Master Fu handle all of the Guardian duties by himself, Tikki! He must have been exhausted… and he still lived such a long life! I can't imagine the burden that he had."

"He didn't do it by himself, Marinette."

"But he told me that he wandered pretty much the entire planet after the Temple was destroyed. Someone couldn't have wandered with him all that time, could they have?"

"Well, for one thing, he had the kwamis with him, and we were able to keep him company and act as a sounding board. Once he settled down, though, he had a companion. Guardians are supposed to have a companion to ease their burden."

"A companion? But who was… _ohhh_," Marinette said, the realization sinking in. "It was Marianne, wasn't it?"

"You're correct! He wasn't able to spend time with her too much once he went into hiding, but she was aware of everything that Master Fu did and helped him get out of problems."

"Do you think she'll be my companion too, Tikki?"

Tikki hummed. _How do I break this to her?_ "It's highly unlikely, for a couple of reasons. One, she's very old, and older men need different companions than teenage girls do. Second, the magic that protected Master Fu when he was Guardian also protected his companion. You would need to seek a new companion soon even if she were willing to fill that role for you." Tikki hesitated. "Third… I've been using the word _companion_, but… with a Guardian and everything that being Guardian entails... the word _mate_ is more appropriate. Like… _soulmate_." Tikki cringed, waiting for Marinette's response. _I hope I just didn't make things worse!_

Marinette turned to Tikki and started waving her arms. "Tikki, _are you telling me that I have to choose a MATE?!_ I can't even _drive_ yet and I have to _get married?! Why didn't Fu tell me that?! Why didn't YOU tell me that?!_ Holy crap, I think I just blew it with Luka, too..."

_Time to get out the fire extinguisher._ "Marinette, calm down! Barring a catastrophe, you're going to be the Guardian for a long, long time! And Marianne wasn't Master Fu's companion for his entire life! You just said yourself that he was alone for a while. You'll have us in the meantime. So don't worry about that just yet. We - and by we I mean all the kwamis - are here to serve you. Let us do that. OK?"

Marinette lowered her arms, closed her eyes, and took several deep breaths. "You're right, Tikki. I panicked. I've got more important things to do right now than to panic."

"That's good. So, Marinette, how can we help?"

Sass floated out of Marinette's purse. "I've been in your boy's head, Marinette. You might not have wanted to see his body, but… would you like me to tell you what's in his mind?"

Tikki rounded on him. "Sass, now is _not_ the _time_ for this! We talked about this earlier! Marinette is..."

Marinette held up her hand. "Actually, Tikki, I think now is the _perfect_ time to talk to Sass."

Sass floated over to Marinette, a sly smile on his face. "What would you like to know?"


	25. Emilie and Hawk Moth

"Sass, It's time you and I had a talk," Marinette opened. "There's a lot you can tell me and a lot that I want to know. First off… Fu told me that you were his confidant before the Temple was destroyed… but when I met him, he was wearing the Turtle Miraculous and working with Wayzz. Why did he switch?"

Sass narrowed his eyes. "You are starting with good questions already, Guardian. You may have noticed that while the Miraculous holders do not take on the characteristics of the animal their Miraculous represents, they either already have or begin to embody the concept of the kwami they are tied to. Temptation was too much for Master Fu and he felt bad about his actions at the Temple. He made a vow from that day forward that he would only wear the Turtle Miraculous - Wayzz being the kwami of Protection, of course. It would serve to remind him that his role as Guardian was to protect the Miracle Box."

Tikki interrupted, "You are already a very creative person, Marinette. That's one of the things that makes you a good Ladybug. Your partner, while he's not a naturally destructive person, is used to having a lot of negative energy around him, so he is equipped to handle the Black Cat Miraculous. Alya is clever and seeks out truth, so she is good for Illusion. Nino is naturally protective, so it makes sense for him to have Protection. Sorry, Sass - I know the other Miraculous holders she's chosen better than you do," she said. "Continue."

Sass's eyes twinkled. "You chose two different boys to hold the Snake Miraculous - boys who you would take as lovers if you could. It's very easy to see why you would give them Temptation, as you find them both very desirable."

Marinette flushed a deep crimson. "I wouldn't go so far as to call them _lovers_…"

"That's nonsense. I've seen what you do with the boy with the blue hair and I see the pictures of the boy with the blond hair on your wall. Which one of them would you like me to tell you about? I've been in both of their heads," Sass offered.

"Sass, I'm not sure I want to use kwamis to know what other people are thinking! It doesn't seem right… almost like I'm spying on their deepest secrets."

"I'll start with the blue boy, then. He…"

"He has a _name_, Sass… it's Luka," Marinette said, uncomfortably.

"Very well… your blue Luka was my first holder in over a century. I did not spend a lot of time with him. He was timid, unsure… he took the Miraculous out of an obligation to help Ladybug, not because he wanted to be a hero in his own right. He hesitated when you were struck down by Serket because he was concerned about Ladybug, not because he was concerned about winning the battle. He wanted nothing more than the battle to be over so he could go back and be with Marinette. _You_ were more important to him."

"Incidentally, Marinette," Tikki chimed in, "That's the same reason why you pulled Aspik out of battle when Serket struck him down. You know and love Adrien and were unwilling to let him sacrifice himself, even temporarily, for the overall goal of the battle. Adrien was willing to take that risk… sorry, Sass should tell you this part."

Sass continued as if he had not been interrupted. "Your blond boy - Adrien - welcomed the burden and responsibility of the Miraculous. He instinctively took to the powers, almost as if he had used a Miraculous before. He was willing to put the goal of the mission first, even above himself. He's much like you. You put the safety of the Miraculous and of Paris first, ahead of your own concerns. I daresay, Marinette, he would make an ideal mate for you if the occasion arose."

Marinette rubbed her hands over her face, missing the warning look that Tikki shot Sass. "Sass, how do I know you're not trying to persuade me one way over the other for your own benefit? I heard Tikki scolding you on more than one occasion. What do you get out of this?"

Sass regarded Marinette with a neutral expression. "Regardless of my personal desires, Guardian, my duty is to you and to the Miraculous. While kwami are magically bound to obey the desires of their holder, I currently do not have one, so my first duty is to the Guardian. Besides… you would be surprised if you knew what would happen to me if you" He closed his mouth with a snap as Tikki cleared her throat loudly and glared at him.

Plagg floated into view from behind the mannequin. "He's right, kid. When the Miraculous were created, the mage put a spell on them that made the nineteen kwamis loyal to the Miraculous and Miracle Box first. That new kwami doesn't have that sort of loyalty, which is why Serket is seeking out the Miracle Box. Don't assume, if you meet the new kwami, that they will want to do something good for the sake of doing good. Also, we don't know the kind of person that created the new Miraculous. His skills may have been lacking in some areas. It's possible that the new kwami is exerting more influence over their holder than one of us would. Vengeance is a terrible concept and can wind up consuming people who let it."

"Plagg, you're awake! I'm glad to see that." She hummed as she considered his words. "Wait a minute. How did Gabriel Agreste get corrupted by something like the concept of Generosity? I don't see it," Marinette frowned. "Wouldn't he become overly altruistic or something?"

"Remember what Chat Noir said about that earlier?" Tikki reminded her. "He originally wanted to create protectors and champions for his own family. It was only after his wife fell ill that he started using the Miraculous to create villains. But even then, the villains that he created were mostly harmless. I think he knew in his heart that his creations would be defeated and the Ladybug magic used to restore what he had done wrong. His overall goal may have seemed selfish… but he wanted more than anything…"

"...To use the Wish to restore his wife to health! Hmm… I'm not sure I buy it. But… it won't hurt to hear this directly from the source. I owe Mr. Agreste a visit as it is," Marinette mused. "But first… Sass, I'm sorry, but I'm going to put you back in the Miracle Box before I forget. I have a feeling that I'll need you again shortly. Thank you for talking with me now... and thank you for being willing to help over the past couple of days."

"At your service, Guardian." He bowed low. Marinette opened the Miracle Box, replaced the bangle and Sass flew into the horn of the gramophone.

"Plagg, you'll be going back to Chat Noir soon. I want you to rest up for a bit longer, though, after which I'll figure out how to get you back to Kitty. I, um, also want to talk to you about what Adrien told me Chat Noir said," she fidgeted.

"Oh, uh, he was talking to you about Chat Noir? What did my cat put in that poor boy's head? He probably wanted to see if he could get him to be a wingman," Plagg teased.

"Not now, Plagg! But it might have been, if you must know. It was different hearing it come from Adrien than coming from Chat, though… oh, _nevermind!_ I've got something else to do now. We'll talk about this later!" She placed the ring in the Miracle Box and Plagg followed Sass, laughing.

She closed the Miracle Box and gramophone and said, "Well, Tikki… it's just you and me. Let's go pay Gabriel Agreste a visit." She opened the trap door and Tikki phased into her purse.

* * *

Marinette descended to the bakery, where Mr. Chou was talking to Tom. "Hello, Mr. Chou! Here for your daily peach tart?"

Mr. Chou fixed her with a glance that she couldn't interpret, then smiled. "Yes! Of course! Sorry, Marinette… I guess you could say I've been distracted recently. The energies in the air are foreboding," he said cryptically.

"I'm… sorry to hear that?" Marinette responded, puzzled. "I'll see you later, Dad! Have to run a quick errand." She disappeared through the bakery door, turned a corner into a secluded alley, and transformed.

* * *

A few minutes later, Ladybug was at the recently-repaired front door of the Agreste mansion. She rang the bell and the bodyguard answered. Eyes widening, he gestured to Ladybug that she should enter and led her to Gabriel's office. Gabriel was standing at his computer terminal in front of the painting of Emilie Agreste.

"Ladybug, good afternoon," Gabriel intoned. "To what do I owe the pleasure? I assume you want to talk to me about Serket's visit here yesterday?"

Ladybug turned around and instructed the bodyguard, "Make sure that Adrien isn't listening at the door, please." The bodyguard left the room.

"Ladybug, I hardly think it is your place to tell my employee what to do!"

"No offense, Mr. Agreste, but Adrien was listening at the door the last time I was here. He knows your secret and he was pretty broken up about it. I don't know if he's talked to you, or if you're even aware that he knows, but I'd rather our conversation not be eavesdropped upon this time around." Her eyes searched the room. "Where's your assistant?"

"Nathalie is resting in her bed. She continues to get sicker. I assume you did not come here to taunt me about the state of my household, Ladybug. What do you want?"

"I want you to take me to see Mrs. Agreste," Ladybug answered.

"Why would you want that?"

"I want to understand why you became Hawk Moth… and I want to see if I can help."

Gabriel's eyes widened. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. "Very well," he stammered. "Right this way." He led Ladybug to a spot in front of the painting and stood close behind her. "Sorry, this platform was not made for more than one person. Nevertheless, you're petite enough that it shouldn't matter. Keep your arms at your sides, please."

Ladybug's mind raced. _This man was our most hated enemy for so long that I'm getting the willies having him this close to me, now that I know who he is. What if he decides that all of a sudden, he wants the earrings and tries to take them from me? What if the affair with Serket was a trap and he's just setting me up?_ Her hands reached up instinctively to cover her ears.

"That will work too, Ladybug." Gabriel laughed without mirth. "I assure you that you have nothing to worry about." He reached around her to press a combination of secret buttons on the painting and they descended into darkness.

* * *

When the platform stopped, Ladybug felt Gabriel move from behind her. A series of lights came on, illuminating an enormous chamber whose most prominent feature was a large, circular window. Little white butterflies flitted throughout the chamber. _These are what he would use to make akuma_, Ladybug realized with a shiver.

There was a garden crossed by a metal bridge that led to a large golden tube. It was across this bridge that Gabriel led Ladybug. He flipped one more lightswitch and Ladybug saw a woman inside the tube holding a bouquet of roses. She had long blonde hair, a thin face, and was wearing a white pantsuit..

"Sleeping…" she muttered to herself.

"Not exactly," Gabriel said wistfully. "This is more of a magical coma than anything else. When she started getting sick... we took her to a series of doctors, none of whom could diagnose what was wrong with her. Eventually, she just… faded. This sarcophagus provides her with purified, oxygenated air and monitors her vital signs. It's…" his voice choked. "It's the best I can do for her. And it's still not enough."

"Chat Noir told me you said you wanted to be superheroes."

"_We_ didn't want to be superheroes… we wanted to _make_ superheroes. Protectors. Champions. Do you know why I got into fashion, Ladybug? It's a tremendous outlet for creativity and art… but people _feel good_ when they wear Gabriel clothes. They feel better about themselves. More powerful, more able to take on the world, happier… you name it. Emilie and I wanted to give that feeling on a much bigger scale to people."

"Forgive me for saying this… but how did you get from wanting to give people positive feelings to preying on negative feelings?"

Gabriel sighed and wiped his eyes. "Bitterness can do strange things to a person, Ladybug. Regretful things. I was at a point where I felt like I was the physical embodiment of generosity. Emilie felt the same way, except with hope. When she got sick… it all went wrong. She went from wanting to give hope to others to being desperate and overprotective."

"That explains a lot about Adrien," Ladybug said to herself.

"It does, yes," Gabriel confirmed. "Despite our efforts to shield Adrien, the influence of the Miraculous crept into our dealings with him. Bitterness consumed me and perverted generosity into selfishness. It perverted hope into desperation. I was so twisted that becoming Hawk Moth seemed like the only logical solution.

"I'm sorry for everything that happened. Losing the Miraculous was probably the best thing for me at this point. I was so consumed by the Miraculous and my goals for it that it's cost me everything. I'm able to look back and see what I've done... and I'm willing to pay the price for that. My only regret is that Adrien -" Ladybug watched as his stoic exterior showed signs of cracking "- will be left an orphan once that happens. I wanted to be a shining example of what the good in people could be… and I'm afraid that I'll have been exactly the opposite." He paused. When he spoke again the hardness had returned to his voice. "You've seen enough, Ladybug. I wish you success in defeating Serket. If there's anything I can do to help out… anything I can do to atone for my past… do let me know."


	26. The Truth

Ladybug left the Agreste mansion, head spinning faster than her yo-yo. She arrived back at her house, entered through the skylight, and de-transformed. "Tikki? I don't know where to start. Wait… yes I do. No, wait… ugh… Tikki!" She flopped down onto her bed and covered her face with a pillow.

"_Breathe_, Marinette!" The red kwami floated next to Marinette's ear. "Do you want my advice?"

"More than anything else in the world, Tikki," came a muffled whine.

"Talk to your partner. He'll give you good advice."

Marinette peeked out from behind the pillow. "Talk to _Chat?_ But… what about what Adrien said earlier? Tikki, what if…"

"What if _what?_ Talk to him. He's your _partner_, Marinette. You're not supposed to bear the burdens of being Guardian by yourself. And while you can and should consult with the kwamis occasionally, you need to talk to him."

"OK, fine, Tikki. I'll do that." She reached into her purse and pulled out her flip phone.

**[LB] Kitty? Can we meet tomorrow? I have something for you /(%)\**

The reply came almost instantly.

**[CN] PLAGG? Yes yes yes please =^.^=**

**[LB] 10 am at the Tower. Don't be late!**

**[CN] late? I'm so excited i'll have a hard time leaving now. But Bug? How am I supposed to get to the top of the Tower without him?**

Marinette groaned. _Old habits die hard._

**[LB] Just testing you :) Be at the park where you left him at 9:45. He'll meet you there with the ring**

**[CN] 9:45, got it. Leaving now.**

**[LB] tomorrow MORNING, Chat**

**[CN] =^.^=**

"Tikki?"

"Yes, Marinette?"

"Is Plagg secretly the kwami of being a dork?"

Tikki giggled and looked fondly at Marinette, who turned off the light, rolled over and immediately went to sleep.

* * *

Marinette woke up the next day to the sound of classical music. She pawed at her phone, only to realize that the music wasn't coming from it. She sat up with a shot and peered over the edge of her loft, only to see her mother standing in front of the gramophone watching a record play. Her eyes opened wide and she squeaked.

Startled, Sabine turned around and looked at her. "Oh! You're awake. Where did you get this old record player?"

"Umm…" Marinette tried her best to fight off the sleepy fog clouding her brain. "Adrien."

"What? Why would Adrien give you something like this? I thought you teenagers were into things like video games."

Marinette's brain went from sleepy to overdrive as she struggled to find an excuse. "Oh, yeah, um, we like those too, um, his father is having a fashion show soon and Adrien gave me that as inspiration because he wants me to put a few designs forward and see what his father thinks about them?" she blurted.

Sabine blinked as she tried to process what her daughter said. Finally, she smiled and said "That's great that he thinks so highly of your work! I see you slept in your clothes again… don't make me ground you from not having fun! You're apparently working hard enough as it is. Breakfast is in the fridge!" She smiled, stopped the record and went downstairs closing the trap door behind her.

_That was close!_ Marinette thought, climbing down from her loft. She checked her phone and saw that she had an hour before Chat was due to pick up Plagg from the park, so she went downstairs and had a quick breakfast before settling down to business for the day. Placing the record in its sleeve, she opened the gramophone, retrieved the Miracle Box and summoned Plagg.

"Good morning, Marinette," he yawned. "Do I get to go see Aa-" he covered his mouth as green bubbles floated out of it.

"What was that?" Marinette asked him.

"Kwamis are prevented from saying the names of their holders to anyone who doesn't already know," Plagg explained. "I know who Chat Noir is and Tikki knows who he is, but since you don't, Guardian, it looks like it's code names only."

"Wait! How does Tikki know who Chat is?"

"You two de-transformed in front of each other during the Dark Owl incident," Plagg pointed out. "That's how I found out who you are."

"Oh, right… has Chat ever tried to find out who I am?" _I bet I know the answer to this one… he probably bugs that poor kwami daily._

"Do you mean by asking me directly? No. By spying on you? Also no. He almost peeked in on you after Lady WiFi when you had to detransform in the closet of that hotel, but he didn't. He loves you desperately - almost sickeningly so, in my opinion - and wants to know who you are under the mask… but he respects your wishes."

"Desperately?" Marinette boggled. "You're the second person to tell me how much Chat loves me."

Plagg hesitated slightly then turned to Marinette. "You found out about Chat's feelings for Ladybug through someone else… So, tell me… I mean… I know Chat hangs out with him sometimes, but I must not have been paying attention if he ever talked about you... How did that go down?"

Marinette gave Plagg a quick summary of the previous day's battle and aftermath. When she was done the black kwami hummed. "That's… interesting. Listen… Bug… let me talk to him before you do anything, OK? It's not that I don't trust you. You're the Guardian and that carries a lot of weight. But you're also a teenage girl and even though I think feelings are yucky… I don't want to see my friend get hurt. I'll go wait for him at the park. Knowing him, he's probably already there. See you at the Tower." Plagg took the Cat Miraculous, floated away and phased through the window.

Marinette looked after him, then opened the purse at her side. She reached in and pulled out the envelope containing Chat Noir's identity. She ran her fingers over the seal and squinted out the window in the direction of the park. Her nose touched the glass, sending a chill down her spine that jolted her back to where she was standing. Shaking her head, she walked over to the Miracle Box and placed the envelope where the Cat Miraculous had been only moments earlier. Closing her eyes, she shut the Miracle Box and the gramophone, then took a deep breath.

Seconds later, Marinette heard a loud whoop from the park. She ran over to her window and saw Chat Noir leaping to the nearest rooftop. She smiled at her partner and thought, _Looks like it's time to get to the Tower._ She called for her transformation and climbed out her skylight, headed for the rendezvous point.

* * *

Ladybug wasn't surprised when she saw Chat waiting for her. She _was_ surprised at the sight of her partner doing acrobatics with his staff in between beams. "How's it feel?" she yelled as she neared him.

Chat's smile could have lit up the Eiffel Tower at night and probably the entire city of Paris, for that matter. "I feel amazing! Thank you so much for taking care of Plagg for me!" He released his staff and gracefully landed next to Ladybug, throwing his arms around her. "Thank you thank you thank you! Er," he said as he stepped back, "Sorry about that. Personal space and everything."

"It's OK, Kitty. I know how happy you must be to be back in action."

"I want to find Serket and kick her butt! Is that wrong?"

"It's not wrong at all, Kitty - but there have been some new developments. Let me fill you in." She began to recount the events of the day before.

"Aspik, huh?" Chat grinned. "What happened to Viperion?"

"He, uh, wasn't available," Ladybug said, looking off to the side. "That's not important, though. What _is_ important is that we found a way to stop Serket: Aspik almost had her Miraculous but someone new came along and saved her. He has a fire weapon, which terrifies me."

"We have fire too, though, right? What's the big deal?"

"What are you talking about, Ki- _oh!_ The potions! Of course! Do you still have your spicy cheese?"

"I don't leave home without it," Chat confessed. "If it weren't for Plagg hating to transform, he probably would have eaten it all by now."

"Good point. He was pretty well-behaved when I had him, to be honest. Unless the other kwamis sneaked him food, I'm not sure he really ate much."

"Dang, Bug, he must really like you, then."

"He's not the only one." Ladybug found herself talking without thinking - again - and froze. _Oops. How on earth do I bring up what Adrien said to me about Chat without giving away that I was at Adrien's house yesterday? Chat's smart - he would figure out that Adrien was Aspik pretty quickly. Come on, think, Ladybug!_ She noticed that Chat was smirking at her. _Can that boy see inside my mind or something? It's not fair!_

"...You were saying, my Lady?"

The part of Ladybug's brain that evaluated which words made it out of her mouth disengaged completely. "Well, Sass, the Snake kwami, really seems to like me, too! In fact, he keeps teasing me and trying to get me to open an envelope that Master Fu left for me that has your identity in it." _What are you doing? Stop talking now!_

Chat's eyes widened. "Excuse me? You mean to tell me that you have my _real name_ sealed in an envelope?"

Ladybug gulped. "It's the responsibility of the Guardian to know who all the Miraculous holders are. I won't open it, though, because I don't want to knock our partnership out of balance. You know me, Kitty - I've always said that our identities have to remain a secret. With Serket out there searching for the new Guardian, if someone found out who you are or who I am, our families… our friends… people we love could be in danger! I can't let that happen." She closed her eyes. _Talk to Chat. He'll give you good advice. You're not supposed to bear the burdens of being Guardian by yourself._ Her kwami's words from that morning echoed in her mind. "Can I bend your ear a bit?"

Chat reached out and tentatively put his hand on hers. "Of course, my Lady." He reached up with his other hand and twisted his costume ear. "They're flexible."

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Be serious, Chat. Even before I was Guardian, Master Fu let me choose who would hold Miraculous on a temporary basis when we needed reinforcements. He always praised me for my choices, but I don't feel good about these last two choices."

"Don't feel good? How so?" Chat said, guardedly.

"Viperion seems like he was a flake… he didn't show up yesterday because he had something going on in his personal life. Kitty, you and I always put personal stuff aside for the good of Paris! It's hard work being a superhero, but we both are willing to do it, time and time again. Yesterday was the first time anyone's ever said _no_ to me, and to be honest, it stung!"

"Not as bad as Serket…" Chat rubbed his side and smiled.

"No, of course not as bad as that," Ladybug replied, a smile playing at the corner of her lips. "But it's so hard not to take stuff like that personally! I'm sure he had a good reason or felt that whatever was a higher priority, but when he was saying _no_ to the responsibility, it was like he was saying _no_ to me personally. Does that make sense?"

"Sure, Bug. Your sense of duty is so much a part of you that saying no to being a superhero is like saying no to _you_. I get it."

"Exactly!"

"So… what about the other choice? Aspik? You said he managed to almost beat Serket… what's the matter with that?"

"It's not what he did, Kitty, it's _who he is_… oh gosh, Kitty, I can't believe I'm about to tell you this, especially given how much I've fought telling you this for what seems like _years_ now and I have nobody besides the kwamis to talk to and no offense to them but I really need to get this out to a person or I'm going to burst… sorry."

Chat Noir was lightly tapping her hand in between his to bring her back to earth. When she broke from her ramble, he rubbed circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. "Are you okay?"

"Chat…" she moaned. "I'm so sorry. I thought I was stronger."

"I'm strong with you, my Lady. What's on your mind? What happened with Aspik?" Chat leaned forward, a hint of desperation in his questions.

"The boy I chose to be Aspik… when Serket attacked him, I couldn't not see beyond the mask. I know the Miraculous make us invulnerable to physical harm in addition to all of these powers, but Serket managed to get the drop on Aspik... and my first thought wasn't saving Paris… it was saving _him_. This is why I've always wanted to keep our identities from each other! I almost failed at my duty to Paris because of _feelings_... and I swore to myself that I would never let that happen!" She balled up her fists and pounded her thighs, frustrated.

"That's OK, Bug… it happens to all of us. I assume Aspik is your friend outside of the mask, which is understandable… you don't just go choosing random people to be superheroes… right?"

"He's more than my _friend_, Kitty… he's the boy I had a crush on for the longest time. I think I still do, to be honest." She saw Chat's eyes grow impossibly wide. "Oh no, Kitty! I'm so sorry! All this time I was rejecting you for him... and then the first time you're not available I go and get him to be my partner… this is an absolute disaster and I will make it up to you, I _promise_… Kitty? Say something! _Chat!_ Wait… why are you _smiling?_" Ladybug hadn't seen a grin that wide on Chat Noir's face since they were trapped in a bubble together.

* * *

A man with silver-grey hair wearing a dark blue long-sleeved Chinese tunic, brown pants, black boots and gloves, a sapphire bird pendant and a dark red domino mask burst into the TV studio interrupting the nightly news broadcast. He shoved Nadja Chamack out of her chair and faced the TV camera. "_Justice is coming,"_ he seethed, "and I will take my rightful place as Guardian of the Miraculous! Soon… all will know the fury of _Le Faisan! Justice fire!_"

Orange flames rushed forth from his hands and consumed the TV set as the TVI personnel ran for their lives.


	27. Crushing Developments

Ladybug's eyes searched Chat Noir's face, looking for any possible reason why he would be smiling at her like he was. _I just blabbed that I had a crush on Adrien, and this dork looks like the cat that just got the cream! _As she opened her mouth to again ask him why he was smiling like that, she saw a column of smoke rise from the TVI building in the distance. _Shoot! I have a feeling I'm missing an opportunity to get to the bottom of something here. Duty calls_… "Chat! The TVI building is on fire! We've got to go do something!"

The comeback died on Chat's lips as he saw that Ladybug wasn't making a metaphor and there was, indeed, fire coming from a large building quite possibly containing a number of innocent people. His game face quickly wiped away the smirk. "After you, my Lady," he said. He watched her launch her yo-yo off into the distance and head off toward the TVI tower. He extended his staff and leaped after her, heart pounding - but not just because of the mission at hand. _She loves me - this might be the best day of my life._

* * *

Chat and Ladybug arrived at the fire-consumed tower to a cacophony of sirens and screams. The limited number of personnel at the station had successfully evacuated. Ladybug swung down to speak with Nadja Chamack, who was wearing an oxygen mask and sitting on the tailgate of a fire truck.

"Mrs. Chamack!" Ladybug called out. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Nadja removed the oxygen mask and coughed. "I'm not really sure, Ladybug. We were delivering the news when a man in a dark blue tunic ran in and said something about justice coming and that he would be the new Guardian of the Miraculous. He said something I didn't catch, then fire came from his hands and we all ran. I didn't see what happened to him or where he went." Her eyes narrowed as her journalist instincts took over. "What's the Guardian of the Miraculous?"

"Maybe later I'll give you an exclusive. _Chat!_" She switched her attention to her partner, who was helping first responders triage victims. "This looks like the work of whoever saved Serket. I imagine that this is the person who also burned down the community center after Master Fu's wake."

"If this is a Miraculous user, my Lady, maybe your Lucky Charm can fix all of this. It's worth a shot."

"I don't know… Lucky Charm didn't work when Serket stung Alya. Maybe it doesn't work against other Miraculous… or at least doesn't work against Miraculous that don't come from the Miracle Box. I'll give it a try, though. _Lucky Charm!_" She tossed her yo-yo in the air, and a small, thick book appeared. "What am I supposed to do with this?" she griped, flipping through the pages.

"Call for your Cure?" Chat suggested. "I don't know how a book would help in this situation."

"Chat… I made the mistake of ignoring a Lucky Charm when Serket first showed up and missed important information." She scanned the area, but nothing jumped out at her.

"You've had things that have reminded you to go see the Guardian before… maybe this isn't something to be used, but a clue to something we need to know?"

Ladybug hummed and scrunched her eyes shut. _Come on, *think*, Ladybug! There's got to be something you can do with a dictionary..._ she opened her eyes, and Chat's costume ears appeared to flash red-and-black. She felt her lips tingle, and frowned. "I think this involved something we need to do together… so let's find a place and talk this out. But first -" her earrings chirped "- _Miraculous Ladybug!_" She threw the dictionary in the air and watched as the magical ladybug swarm made its way through Paris.

The fire continued to rage and the sirens continued to howl. Panicking, Ladybug turned around only to see Nadja Chamack holding a microphone with a cameraman beside her. "We're live, broadcasting from our backup tower at Orly. Ladybug, can you tell me why you can't fix everything after this akuma attack?"

"Um… it… it's… um… not an akuma," she mumbled into the microphone. "I don't know what happened here or who the mysterious person is that did this." Her spine straightened slightly and she looked into the camera. "Rest assured, Nadja… and people of Paris. We will get to the bottom of this and stop these attacks from happening." Her earrings chirped again. "Bug out."

She spun her yo-yo and swung off into the afternoon, her partner behind her. They landed on a nearby rooftop. "What's the plan, Bug?" Chat asked.

"First thing, Kitty, is I have to recharge. Next, we need to find footage of what happened at the station when our arsonist friend showed up. Third… we need to sit down and put all of these pieces together. Let's meet somewhere in an hour. We need to get to the bottom of this, _fast_, before more damage gets done. I can't let Serket and her friend destroy Paris."

* * *

Ladybug arrived on her balcony and de-transformed. She climbed into her bedroom and went downstairs to grab some cookies for Tikki. Her parents were packing two large suitcases in the bedroom off of the kitchen. "Mom? Dad? What's going on?"

"We're worried," Sabine said. "It turns out that there was more to the Chinese community center burning down than we thought. I just checked in with the director and it seems that most of the members of the center have been receiving visits from the man who burned the TV station down. Everyone who was at that wake two days ago has been terrorized by that menace! We're in danger and we can't stay here. Tom and I are getting a hotel on the outskirts of the city. You need to pack your things and get ready to leave until Ladybug and Chat Noir catch him."

Marinette froze. _I can't leave! I'm the one responsible for cleaning all of this up! What's going to happen if I go away? What if I can't get to Chat on time if Serket or her friend shows their face? What do I do with the Miracle Box?_ "What if I… stay with a friend? I really don't want to have to pack all of my sewing stuff for a hotel, and with the Battle of the Bands coming up soon...it would really stink if I couldn't do that for them. Is that OK?" she stammered.

"What friend do you want to stay with? I know Alya was moved out of town due to this whole Serket business, and staying with Luka is out of the question."

_At this point, it's probably out of the question for him, too._ "Let me ask around… maybe Rose or Mylène would be willing to put me up until this is solved."

"In the meantime, please start packing your bags. We'll leave after the bakery is closed for the evening. I'll have to give Mr. Chou some extra peach tarts tonight," she added offhandedly.

Marinette darted upstairs and tossed a cookie to her kwami. "_Tikki!_ What am I going to _do?"_

"It sounds like Serket is closing in. If she makes the connection between you and the Miracle Box, we're in serious trouble! You need to find a safe place for the Miracle Box before you do anything else!"

"I don't know! What… what about Chat's house?"

Tikki frowned. "Normally that would be an excellent idea, Marinette, but for reasons I can't tell you, that can't be an option for you this time."

"What? Why not?"

"_I can't tell you,_ Marinette. Where else?"

"Um… wait! I have it! How about Alya's house?"

"Her parents are still there, and all of her sisters, too. You can't guarantee that they'll stay out of her room and not get curious. And Alya's not there to keep your secret, either."

Marinette hummed and started pacing her room desperately. "I need someplace close by... someplace I can get to even if I wind up staying across town… someplace that won't arouse suspicion… someplace where nobody is going to go." The pacing picked up as Tikki started eating the second cookie Marinette had brought for her. Suddenly, Marinette stopped and snapped her fingers. "I've got it! Tikki - you don't think you can conjure me up another sack like last time I needed to move this stuff, do you?"

Tikki grinned and gave a small shrug of her shoulders.

Five minutes later, Ladybug swung back to her bedroom, de-transformed, and gave Tikki another cookie. "You've earned it, Tikki. Now, to make a few quick phone calls." _Let's see… who would be willing to have an extra houseguest for the next week or two? And who has the space? And… how do I approach them?_ She tapped her fingers on her chin, frowning. Her eyes flickered to the flip phone as an incoming message buzzed.

**[CN] Ready to meet up, my Lady? =^.^=**

**[LB] Give me a few more minutes, Kitty… secret identity stuff to handle first. Stay by your phone /(%)\**

**[CN] roger that**

_Roger… hmmm…_ an image of Sabrina Raincomprix came into Marinette's mind. _No… she doesn't have the extra space, we don't know each other well enough, and when we were paired together for that project she clung to me like glue! I wouldn't be able to shake her long enough to transform._ She shook her head. Her eyes were drawn again to her phone…

* * *

Adrien bounced his leg impatiently as he waited for Ladybug to tell him where to meet. His phone buzzed, and he flipped it open to read the message. _Wait a second… that's not the Chat-phone!_ He grabbed his regular phone and checked the notification. His eyes widened as he saw who it was from.

**[LB (to Adrien)] Hey you… got a sec?**

**[Adrien] For you, always. Need our snake friend?**

**[LB (to Adrien)] Not yet. Need a bigger favor. It's OK if you say no.**

**[Adrien] Name it. Trip to the moon without a spacesuit?**

**[LB (to Adrien)] Not that big. Can I call you?**

Adrien's eyes opened even wider, if that were possible.

**[Adrien] Of course!**

He answered before the first ring had finished. "How can I help?"

There was hesitation on the other end of the line, then the sound of Ladybug taking a deep breath. "Hi, Adrien. Thanks. I can't go into too many details. Let's just say I found out that Serket is attacking a certain group of people one-by-one, and there's a very large chance that my family's on her list of targets. My parents are moving to the countryside, but I need to stay close to Paris to help defeat Serket. I need a spare room and a bed, if you're willing."

Adrien's mind boggled. _Holy crap Ladybug wants to come over and stay with me and I just found out that I'm the boy she has a crush on and we can do real actual teenager things like watch movies and maybe hold hands or listen to music or play games or kiss…_

"Adrien? Are you there?"

"Uh, yeah! Yeah! Yes! To both of those. We can make room. There's a guest suite here that locks up nice and tight… you'll even have your own kitchen and bathroom. It hasn't been used for a while, and as far as I know there are no plans for it. I'll clear it with Father."

"Before you do that… you have to know, I'll be there _as Ladybug_, not as my civilian identity. Nobody can know I'm staying there! It will be too dangerous. Your house has already been attacked by Serket once… I don't want to put you in any more danger. You probably won't see too much of me, I'm afraid… unless we need the snake," she rationalized.

Adrien's face fell. "No, no, of course… I won't tell Father, then… I'll have to tell someone though in case they hear you over there. Let me see… my bodyguard should be fine. He's good at keeping things quiet, and he'll be the right person to involve in case something goes haywire. How soon do you need to be here?"

"...Tonight? Is that too soon?"

"That will be perfect, Ladybug. I have somewhere to be this afternoon, in any case. Swing by my room when you're ready to come by, and I'll let you in and help you get settled. Will that work?"

"_Yes._ And _thank you._ You've really come through for me these past few days, and I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you. Talk to you later, Adrien."

"It's my pleasure," Adrien said, before hanging up. "My Lady," he breathed. _This is definitely the best day of my life. Bring it on, Serket - I feel like you could Sting me fifty times over and I wouldn't even notice it!_

* * *

Marinette thumbed the _End Call_ button on her flip phone, then switched over to the messaging app.

**[LB (to Chat)] Ready when you are. Let's get ready to talk through this. How about the Luxembourg Gardens?**

**[CN] Be there in ten =^.^=**

Marinette flipped the phone closed. "Tikki, I hope this works. I'm taking a huge risk by staying at Adrien's… do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

"You'll have to be very careful, Marinette. If you're discovered as either Marinette _or_ Ladybug while you're there, you could wind up facing a whole bunch of questions you don't want to answer."

"If you had told me two weeks ago that Ladybug would be moving in with Hawk Moth, I'd have called you crazy," Marinette grimaced.

_If I tell you now that Ladybug is moving in with Chat Noir, your brain would melt out your ears._ "Stranger things have happened, Marinette. Let's go meet Chat."

"I'm not sure I want to know what those stranger things are, Tikki. SPOTS ON!"


	28. Seeing Clearly

Ladybug and Chat Noir were at the Luxembourg Gardens near the statue where they had first encountered Serket together as a team. "This is where it all started… for me at least," Chat begun. "You had encountered Serket earlier, at the Trocadero."

"Not directly, Kitty… I only got on the scene after she left. After she Stung Alya, the Ladyblogger girl." Ladybug shuddered at the memory. "I saw the video though and I talked with the other girl that was there: Marinette. You remember her from Evillustrator, right?"

"Among other things," Chat said evasively. "Did she have any insight?"

"She mentioned that Serket attacked Alya because Alya was running toward her and everybody else was running away. You know her… always trying to get the scoop for an akuma fight. Serket Stung her and grabbed her phone before giving people a little message. Here, I've got it on my yo-yo."

She flipped open her yo-yo and played back the encounter. They saw a jittery video as Alya bounded down the stairs of the Trocadero, then an abrupt jolt as she was Stung. The camera moved as it was picked up, then aimed at Alya. A gloved finger passed over the lens before the camera was turned and showed the top half of Serket's head as she broadcast her declaration.

Chat frowned. 'Hmm… if I didn't know any better, I'd say that Serket has never used a phone camera before. She pointed it in the wrong direction at first, and then aimed it too high."

"That's interesting, Kitty… you're right. I wonder if that's helpful? Anyway… next time we saw her, she was here. We were fighting Remote Control and Serket appeared, again, out of nowhere."

"If it weren't for her, I don't think we ever would have defeated that akuma - he got distracted by Serket and I was able to break his object so you could purify the butterfly. But Serket didn't *do* anything that time, did she?"

"She announced herself to me - told me to tell the Guardian that 'vengeance was coming to bring justice.' So she knew who I was, and knew that the Guardian was nearby… but that was a peculiar choice of words." Ladybug's eyes lit up. "I think I know what that means now - the Lucky Charm object I conjured to try to free Alya from the Sting was a small turtle… I had already gone to Master Fu and spoke with him, and we had figured out that it was likely that Serket was a Miraculous holder. This gave us the clue that her kwami was the kwami of vengeance."

"Was that before or after we visited Jalil Kubdel?"

"It was… well, I visited Master Fu before that, then we visited Jalil, then Serket showed up here. I know it wasn't that long ago, but so much has happened since then it might as well have been a month or so for how good my memory is."

"And it was at Jalil's office that we learned that scorpions and snakes are natural enemies. Which probably explains the endless parade of snake-themed heroes," Chat said playfully.

"It wasn't an _endless parade_, Chat! There were _two!_ And the second one actually beat Serket for a few seconds… but we're getting ahead of ourselves."

"That's right… before that, Serket showed up at Notre Dame and not only defeated the akuma for us, she Stung the butterfly. That got Hawk Moth out of our hair… but I think we paid a price for that. Plus one hundred points for effectiveness, but minus several million for method."

"We next fought her at City Hall, with Viperion -"

"Snake hero number one."

"_Hush_, Kitty. We were huddling on the roof of City Hall, and Serket spotted us… no, wait, she _heard_ us. Specifically, Viperion - she said we brought someone she didn't recognize… but we were still out of sight. I have no idea how she could have heard him when she was on the ground and we were on the roof."

"She went after Viperion after we landed… she was pretty good with that sceptre of hers, both at City Hall and at h- the Agreste mansion. It was all I could do to keep up with her and I'm a trained fighter."

"You're getting ahead of yourself again, Chat. If I remember correctly, you activated Cataclysm against her."

"I wasn't going to Cataclysm _her_, my Lady. I was just planning on getting that sceptre out of her hands. Or maybe wherever her Miraculous is, by some stroke of luck. Remember with Queen Wasp, I had to destroy the Miraculous in order to free the butterfly. She had already tagged you and Viperion with it, and I had no interest in becoming victim number three. She managed to escape without any of us getting Stung or her getting Cataclysmed."

"And after that, the Agreste mansion, where she Stung you." Ladybug shuddered.

"I did my best there! I was just overmatched. She was very fast and didn't react to my normal distracting techniques… not that I was able to try a lot of them," he reasoned. "She used some sort of fencing move I hadn't seen before to leap behind me, and that's when I got Stung. I've got… let's say, a _reputation_ as being pretty good in combat. I'm pretty _cat-_thletic, if you will, and with how quickly she got the best of me my pride was more hurt than my side."

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "So you were out of commission when she showed up at the Trocadero."

"Snake hero number two," grinned Chat.

"_Yes_, Chat… snake hero number two. Which was funny… Serket for some reason thought Aspik was _you_ at first -" Chat flinched slightly "- and it was really easy to sneak up on her when Aspik was drawing her away from me. He even managed to do it _twice_, which I would not have expected. It's almost as if she was distracted, or her hood was affecting her peripheral vision or something..."

"And Aspik actually succeeded in defeating Serket," Chat added, grinning.

"Aspik's weapon was effective - until her friend swooped down and… _wait!_ Chat! He shouted 'Justice fire!' before he picked up Serket… and I bet if we watch the video of what happened at the TV station, he'll have said it again. _Vengeance is coming to bring justice…_ Serket's savior must be another Miraculous holder! That's the only explanation!"

"I don't like our chances against two Miraculous holders… especially one who seems willing to burn everything down…"

"I don't like that either, Kitty… there's got to be some sort of advantage we can figure out."

"What was the lucky charm object you got this morning? A small book?"

"Oh, Kitty… it was a dictionary. I couldn't figure out what kind of dictionary it was, though. The one side had words, the other side had dots. Maybe my Lucky Charm magic went into overdrive and everything wound up spotted."

"No, that's _it!_ Bug, those weren't _spots_… think about it! Serket couldn't aim the camera. She heard us well before she could see us at City Hall… but we were really far away. She didn't know that Aspik wasn't me… and one thing I noticed when we had her surrounded at City Hall: she wasn't watching us with her _eyes_, she was 'watching' us with her _ears._ Oh no, those weren't spots in that dictionary, Bug. It was Braille. I will bet you all the cookies in Paris that _our friend Serket is blind_."

"_Blind?_ But she's so good at hand-to-hand combat… even if her abilities were enhanced by the Miraculous, she has to have some skills outside of the suit to be that good. Blind and good at combat… I guess that narrows down the list of possible suspects."

Chat Noir closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and murmured "I think I have a very good idea where to start. But… I'll need to do it as a civilian. Give me some time this afternoon, and I can report back tonight?"

"I'll be busy tonight, Chat… but will be able to text you if you get any updates. Will that work?"

"It will have to, my Lady. I just hope I'm wrong." He gave a half-hearted salute and leaped away.

* * *

Chat entered his bedroom via the window and de-transformed. He immediately pulled his phone out of his pocket, opened up the messaging app, and paused. _I know what I need to know, but I'm not sure how to ask it. Let's see where this conversation goes…_

**[Adrien] Hey, have some news for you! Got a sec?**

**[Kagami] News? Already? This is unlike you. Either you gave up or hit the jackpot. Which one is it?**

**[Adrien] ha ha very funny. Jackpot, if you must know**

**[Kagami] O.o WHAT? tell me more**

**[Adrien] found out a certain superhero likes me back**

**[Kagami] and HOW did you manage that one?**

**[Adrien] I can't exactly say. Let's put it this way… friend of a friend**

**[Kagami] well, I'll be. And how are you going to follow up on this?**

**[Adrien] dunno tbh. Something else going on that I can't tell you about but will probably help me out**

**[Kagami] Mr. Secretive. OK, fine, be that way. And when does this something else happen?**

**[Adrien] tonight**

**[Kagami] who are you and what have you done with Adrien Agreste**

**[Adrien] :-P**

Adrien paused. _Might as well dive right in._

**[Adrien] I'll keep you posted. Your mom got you doing fencing stuff again tonight?**

**[Kagami] Already done. She's entertaining her houseguest right now.**

**[Adrien] that's cool that you get to work together. Umm… don't mean to sound rude, but…**

**[Kagami] Yes, she's blind. It's OK. She's got great instincts. Her fundamentals are all there still, and when she was champion, she was able to anticipate her opponents' moves. That's how she was so successful**

**[Adrien] Was she blind when she was champion, then? Sorry, don't mean to be rude**

**[Kagami] I told you, it's OK. I'm proud of her. She still had her sight when she was a champion.**

**[Adrien] oh, cool. Umm… if it's not rude, how did she go blind? Sickness?**

**[Kagami] no… she doesn't really like to talk about it. She was attacked and blinded for some reason that I don't know… something to do with her family. My family, too, of course**

**[Adrien] Oh no! I can't imagine that. How did she handle it?**

**[Kagami] she was bitter for a while, as you can imagine. but she made do. got some jobs instructing younger students, did speaking engagements, the usual motivational crap**

**[Adrien] enough to live off of it seems, no offense**

**[Kagami] yeah, it's her first love and she was happy to do it. Still… there's always been something about her I just couldn't place. She always drove me to be a good fencer and a good combatant… well, not just good, but the best. That's why I went to Mr. Dargencourt's class. She always told me to keep the family's honor above all other things. From what I can tell, whatever she was blinded for had to do with someone dishonoring her family.**

**[Adrien] I'm sorry. I had no idea**

**[Kagami] stop apologizing**

**[Kagami] she's in a much better place. That houseguest has really boosted her spirits. She was on the boards of some companies, mostly ceremonial stuff, but ever since this guy came over, it's like she's had a new energy. I can't describe it.**

**[Adrien] that's good to hear. Old family friend?**

**[Kagami] I never asked… his name's Mr. Chou. Doesn't sound like a name I'm familiar with but things like that were never my strong suit. Old guy. Chinese. Polite, quiet, keeps to himself.**

**[Adrien] i see**

**[Adrien] sorry, bad choice of words**

**[Kagami] you apologize while talking to me one more time I'm going to walk over there and hit you**

Adrien typed "sorry" out of instinct and quickly erased it before typing a new message.

**[Adrien] can we talk strategy tomorrow?**

**[Kagami] given that something is happening tonight if you still have anything to talk strategy about tomorrow, I'm game**

**[Adrien] cool. thanks, talk to you then**

**[Kagami] later**

Adrien pocketed his phone and mentally reviewed what Kagami had told him. _Blind… fencer… practicing… and a mysterious houseguest who arrived around the time Serket showed up. I'll see what Ladybug thinks, but I think we have our Serket… and possibly our mystery person too. Ladybug's going to be busy moving here tonight… so I can't talk to her as Chat until tomorrow. Unless there's some way for me to get around it, we've got the night off. And frankly, I could use the night off._

* * *

Adrien relaxed by playing the piano until Ladybug showed up. At around nine o'clock, there was a light _thump_ at his windowsill and a tentative knock. He got up, walked around the bench, and let Ladybug in. "Hey," he greeted her. "Glad you're here. How can I help?"

"Adrien, _thank you._ You have no idea how much this means to me."

"What'd you tell your parents?"

"They think I'm staying with… another friend. They might get suspicious if I suddenly roomed with you… or with any boy, for that matter." Ladybug pinked and grinned slightly.

"No, that's understandable. Let's see… Father is generally in his office, and Nathalie is still sick in bed, so my bodyguard will escort you to your room. Can I help carry anything?"

"Ordinarily I would say yes, but most of what I have to bring screams _secret identity_, and we can't have that just yet."

"Gotcha. The bodyguard has the key to the room, so you can keep it locked from the inside. I imagine you'll be leaving and entering by the window, in any case."

"I prefer to think of it as the VIP entrance, but yes, you're correct."

"VIP entrance, huh? Well, you came in my window, and you're a VIP, so I'd say that's accurate!" He blushed and giggled a bit deliriously. _I can't believe Ladybug is here, and she's moving in, and she's going to be right down the hall and get a grip Agreste you are going to melt into a puddle of joy right here in front of her and then there will be no more Adrien for her to love_.

Ladybug smiled. "Thanks, Adrien. If you can have your bodyguard lead me to the room, I'll get my things and get established. It will be nice to relax and feel safe... for a little while, at least." She watched Adrien walk to his door and knock sharply: _di-dah-dit-dit, dah-di-dit-dit_. His bodyguard opened the door, looked at Ladybug, and gestured for her to follow him.

* * *

After securing herself and her things in the room, Ladybug de-transformed and flopped down on the bed. _Guest room, ha! This is better than any suite at Le Grand Paris. I could sit here and sink into the mattress all night long… or maybe soak in a hot bubble bath. I wonder if it has jacuzzi jets?_ She idly pulled out her phone and checked to see if she missed any calls or messages. The most recent call was Luka's failed attempt to reach her the day before. She sighed. _I really should see how he's doing._

Just then, her flip phone buzzed in her purse. She pulled it out.

**[Adrien] So… when you get settled… do you want to watch a movie or something?**

Marinette bounced in place on the bed and started to squeal, but she closed her eyes and rubbed her face as her conscience tempered her excitement. _This is going to turn into something I can't handle sooner or later… and probably already has, if I'm being honest. I'm sorry, Luka… this isn't fair to you._ "Tikki?" she asked. "I can't do this anymore. With everything that's going on, I need someone I can be 100% myself with. Luka deserves more than I can give him right now… or maybe ever."

"Follow your heart, Marinette. Luka brings out a side of you that is wonderful to see. No relationship is perfect. You know deep down what's important to you and what you need." Tikki floated over and stroked her hair.

She opened the messaging app on her regular phone and started a new message. Her thumbs danced over the screen as she started, stopped, erased, and started a message anew. She hit _Send_ and dropped her phone to her side, anxiety over the response she would get quickly bubbling to the surface.

* * *

Below decks in a houseboat, the buzzing of a phone interrupted the melancholy tones of Luka's guitar. Luka's stomach dropped a few inches when he saw the message.

**[Pink stuff] Hey, you… hope you're doing ok. We need to talk.**

Luka gulped and tapped out a reply.

**[Luka] Sure. Call me when you can.**

He pressed _Send_, then stared at the phone screen, waiting for the incoming call alert.

The phone vibrated and a picture of Marinette came on the screen.

He swiped right and answered, "Hello?"


	29. Boy Troubles

Marinette was sprawled out in her pajamas on the bed of the Agreste guest suite. The combination of the chandelier overhead and the stark white comforter gave the room an unnatural brightness that was a direct contradiction to her present mood. She had just dialed Luka's number after texting him that they "needed to talk". _These kinds of conversations never go well_, she thought to herself. _Here goes nothing._ She pressed _Call_ and then waited.

Luka picked up before the first ring had completed. "Hello?"

"Hey, you," Marinette said. "How have you been? I know we just saw each other yesterday, but that was _really_ awkward and I feel like there's a lot of stuff unsaid between us that we need to get out."

Luka hummed. "I'm working on finishing that new song. The lyrics are starting to come to me bit-by-bit. You?"

"I'm… well… my parents had to leave Paris for a bit because of some stuff. They're letting me stay with a friend so I can get the battle of the bands stuff taken care of. Otherwise I'd probably be somewhere in the middle of nowhere, or at the very least taking over a small hotel room with my sewing supplies."

"_Some stuff?_ Marinette, they had to _leave town?_ That sounds serious! What's wrong?"

_How on earth do I tell him that my family is probably being targeted by Serket and her friend - Le Faisan, I think he said? - and I need to stay behind so I can stop them? _"Um… it's complicated," she mumbled. "Family stuff, you know?"

"I've got time," he countered shyly.

"I know… just… trust me on this one, okay? You don't want to know all of the details."

"Marinette…" Luka took a deep breath. "You know what I said to you yesterday outside the bakery, right? I want to be your _everything._ Someone you can tell _anything_ to. Now, I know it's not my business to pry into your personal family stuff, but if you need to get something out, I can be that person you talk to." A pause, then he continued tenderly. "When you were first measuring us for our outfits, I opened up and told you exactly what was in my heart. We have to be balanced, Marinette, or our relationship won't work. I need you to be confident and trusting enough to tell me what's in your heart, too. Anyway… we can work on that. Can we hang out soon?"

Marinette sighed. "I… I don't know when I can. With the family stuff that's going on… there's a lot being asked of me right now and my availability is all over the place."

"Ice cream?" he prompted hopefully. "My treat… a half-hour, tops. Let me spoil you a bit and get your mind off of whatever it is going on. It sounds like you've got a lot bottled up inside, and maybe I can help you unload a bit."

_I wish I could._ "Luka… you're so sweet. These things I have to do… I can't really share them with anybody. I wish I could tell you, _honest_, I do! But… it just has to be this way right now. I'm sorry."

"I'm glad you can keep a secret, Marinette… but secrets and lies aren't good. They bubble up inside you and can eat away at you until you're a completely different person."

"I know, Luka… I know. And I _hate_ liars. It's not fun to keep secrets. It's a burden. There's probably… one person, _maybe_, who I can talk to about this, and I can't even tell him the whole thing."

"And I'm not that person? Come on, Marinette… look, I'll start. I've got a secret," he said, "and I've been dying to get it off of my chest."

"Wait, _what?_ What are you talking about?"

"Yesterday… Ladybug visited me. She wanted me to be a superhero. She -"

"Luka, wait, _stop!_ You shouldn't be -"

"Marinette, there can't be _any_ secrets between us. This is the biggest one I have. Let me share it with you. Last Thursday? During our ice cream date when that supervillain showed up at City Hall? I wasn't hiding at the ice cream shop."

"What are you talking about? Luka - _stop_." The note of desperation in Marinette's voice was threatening to become a full-blown symphony.

"Don't worry, it's not what you think! Ladybug came and got me, and she recruited me to help her out. I don't know why she did… she told me I was brave and trustworthy. Isn't that amazing? A superhero, someone who puts it all on the line for Paris, thinks that _I'm_ brave!"

"Luka… why are you telling me this?"

"Because there can't be any secrets between us, Marinette. Not if we want to keep this up. I need to be able to trust you with the biggest secret that I have: I'm Vipe-"

"Nononono_nononono!_ _LUKA! You can't tell me that!"_ The symphony of desperation was replaced by an opera of panicking voices in Marinette's mind. _What is he DOING? He's very lucky that I already knew this secret… but not only is this dangerous, I can't reciprocate!_ "Superhero secret identities are secret for a _reason_, Luka! I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, OK? You can't go sharing stuff like that! What if the wrong person finds out? Someone could be in danger!" She took a deep breath. "Look… Luka, what you're asking of me… I _can't_ share it with you. Do you understand? I want to _so bad_ but I just _can't._"

There was a long period of silence on the other end of the phone. Finally Luka said, "I'm not the only song in your heart, am I?" The sadness that accompanied his voice was palpable.

"Huh? _Now _what are you talking about?"

"Remember how our date at the ice rink ended? You spent most of that date infatuated with Adrien, and even chased after him when he started to drive away. And you know what? I was cool with that, because I hadn't come out and directly told you how I felt about you. But I thought you were over Adrien enough that we had a chance at a relationship. But you're _not_."

Luka continued, "You told me yesterday that you were helping a friend with his sick cat. Then, at rehearsal, the only two people who had outfits already fit for them were me, which is understandable, and Adrien, which is not. You didn't even have to take his measurements, and you still have his pictures all over the walls of your bedroom! When you were below decks doing everyone else's fitting, I asked Adrien what he had been up to, and do you know what he told me?"

"...No? Wait, _Adrien_? Luka, where are you going with this?"

"He told me that his cat was sick! I don't think that's a coincidence, Marinette."

"Adrien… told you… his cat…?" Marinette stammered.

"So there are three possibilities. Either you two are both telling the truth and you spent the day together helping him with his cat, or you have a different friend who you helped with a sick cat and there's some sort of cat flu going around, or there's something else entirely."

"Luka… _wait! _This isn't what you think!"

"Can you tell me what it really is, then?" he asked quietly.

"I… can't. I wish I could but I _can't_. I'm sorry, Luka. I can't give you what you want… what you _need_ me to give you. Maybe someday. You're an amazing person and I've loved every moment I spent with you. If this hasn't been enough, then… maybe we should break it off. I'm sorry I can't give you more."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. Good luck, Marinette. Thanks for a great couple of weeks. You're a special girl… and I'm sorry I couldn't be your special guy."

"Luka…"

"Good night, Marinette." The phone call went dead.

Marinette stared, mouth open, at her phone. _Did that just happen?_ A sob rose in her throat.

Tikki floated tentatively up to Marinette's face and dabbed at her tears. "I'm sorry, Marinette."

"Tikki… what went wrong? You said I shouldn't bear the burden of being Guardian by myself, but I've never felt more alone. He _loves me_, Tikki. And I couldn't open up to him. Everything that my life has become… just came between us."

Tikki said nothing and continued clearing Marinette's face of the tears that spilled forth.

"It's just… I'm _alone_ now, Tikki. I was forced to move out of my house, hide the Miracle Box, stay in the closest available guest room… I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with Serket and Le Faisan… and Chat… this is _all me_. I wish Master Fu were here… I wish I could have Luka hold me right now… I wish… I wish I could just Miraculous Ladybug everything back to how it was!" Her voice caught in her throat.

_At least she doesn't want to give up being Ladybug this time,_ Tikki thought. _She'll be OK… especially since her partner will be there to support her._

Marinette picked up the flip phone, flipped it open, and sent a text.

**[LB (to Adrien)] sorry, busy day. raincheck ok? going to bed**

**[Adrien] no problem at all. sleep well. text me if you need anything**

**[LB] I will, thanks**

She flipped the phone closed, placed both phones on her nightstand, and turned off the light. Her tears stopped shortly after she fell asleep, but that didn't stop the dreams from being painful.

* * *

Marinette woke up to the sound of a light rainstorm hitting her window. She pushed herself up and saw the makeup prints her tears had dried to the pillow. _Guess I'll have to talk to Adrien about laundry service… maybe I can rinse this off in the bathroom sink first. At least I didn't fall asleep in my clothes this time._ Careful to not disturb her sleeping kwami, she sneaked out of bed, grabbed a phone from the night table, and walked over to the window.

The rain had kept people off the streets even more than usual. _Paris, the city of lights… the city of superheroes… the city of Ladybug and Chat Noir. I never really liked being out in the rain. I can't risk Tikki getting sick, either, even though I could heal her myself. I miss Master Fu. Usually he would know just the right thing to say to me. Something to cheer me up, something to lift my spirits. Something to help me know that everything would be alright._ Her mind flashed back to the nights at Fu's apartment, where she would study the secrets of the Miraculous and share her questions, doubts, and fears over a warm mug of tea.

_Of course!_ _Tea!_ Marinette ran over to her school bag and rummaged through it until she found a pink notebook. She pulled it out and turned to the last page, where she had faithfully written down the recipe for Master Fu's special tea as he had dictated it to her. She read over the ingredients and frowned. _I wonder if Adrien has chamomile handy? Might have to risk going out in the rain..._

Yawning, she opened up her messaging app and composed a text. While she waited for a response, she unpacked her toiletries and took them to the private bathroom off of the guest room. _This shower looks amazing!_ She turned on the water and watched as the giant waterfall showerhead and massage jets on the wall changed color from blue to red as the water heated up. She put her phone down on the counter and grabbed a towel. After verifying that the door to her bedroom was indeed locked, she stripped down and climbed into the shower.

* * *

In another room in the mansion, Adrien was sitting on his couch, staring at his phone.

**[Marinette] Good morning :) How did you sleep?**


	30. Rainy Days and Tuesdays

Marinette toweled herself off and put on a plush white robe that was hanging on a hook outside the shower. _I could get used to this,_ she thought to herself. _That was the most relaxing shower I've ever had in my life! _Her face fell a bit as she remembered why she was there. _Can't seem to shake this mood… it must be the rain. I should get that tea going and see if that cheers me up._

She walked over to her flip phone to see if Adrien responded, only to find zero waiting messages. _Huh, nothing. He must still be asleep. I'll give him a bit before I text him again._ She picked up her regular phone and jumped when she saw the message waiting for her.

**[Adrien] I slept like a log, thanks for asking. How are you doing?**

She swiped to see the rest of the conversation and was horrified to see that she had accidentally messaged Adrien from her regular phone instead of her flip phone. _Crap-crap-crap! This is a disaster! Let's see… I saw him last at band practice, but we didn't say much. The wake? No, too sad of an occasion. The fashion show?_ Her mind flashed back to Adrien's silhouette behind the privacy screen, and she shook her head to clear it. Her thumbs started and re-started a message until she finally sent:

**[Marinette] Doing pretty good. Wrapping up some big projects right now. What are you working on?**

* * *

Adrien tapped his foot on the ground, listening to the rain beat upon the windows. _It's picked up a bit. I've never been much of a fan of the rain, but listening to it hit the windows is soothing. I wonder what Ladybug is up to? Probably unpacking…_ his phone buzzed again and he smiled as he read the message from Marinette. _She's not who I was expecting to hear from this morning, but it is nice to hear from her. If it weren't for Luka… and Ladybug… who knows what might happen?_

**[Adrien] Just hanging around. Modeling is done for a couple of weeks until we get the Fall lines finalized. I'm glad to have the break. Finishing up the band outfits?**

**[Marinette] Yeah, getting the final adjustments on them. I think Kitty Section is gonna rock it! You guys sound great!**

**[Adrien] how much free time do you have these days?**

* * *

**[Marinette] not much to be honest. family stuff keeps me busy most of the time. **

She paused and tapped herself on the mouth. _Should I tell him about family being out of town? No… that's too much of a connection to Ladybug since he's the only one who knows that her family's left town. And speaking of Ladybug… _she grabbed her flip phone.

**[Ladybug] good morning — you up yet?**

**[Adrien (to Marinette)] Shame. I still owe you something for being such a good friend.**

"Marinette," Tikki floated over, "haven't you learned anything about texting two boys at the same time?"

"Relax, Tikki, I've got this! I'm only texting one boy right now, and I'm not going to text Chat until later on today."

"You accidentally texted Adrien from the _wrong phone_," Tikki pointed out smugly.

"Give me _some_ credit, Tikki… at least I didn't sign it from Ladybug or anything. We're still safe."

"Uh-huh," Tikki said, then floated away. "I'm going to lay down again… just let me know when you're ready to transform." She looked out the window. "I hope the rain lets up sometime today, otherwise we're not going to get a lot done."

"I'll let you know," confirmed Marinette, as she composed a reply to Adrien's message.

* * *

**[Adrien (to Ladybug)] I'm up! Thinking of getting some breakfast. What do you usually have? I can have it sent up.**

"I said it before and I'll say it again, you're gonna get what you deserve, kid." Plagg hovered over his shoulder, reading Adrien's phone screen.

"Whatever, Plagg. _She_ texted _me _first this time." He ignored his kwami and continued to fiddle with his phone.

**[Marinette] That's sweet, but you owe me nothing. I'm your friend whether or not you do anything for me back.**

**[Ladybug] I usually just have a croissant and hot chocolate. Coffee makes me jittery. Maybe some fruit juice.**

**[Marinette] I've gotta run - busy day today. Text me if you need anything, k?**

**[Adrien (to Marinette)] Will do, thanks. Have a good day and stay dry**

**[Ladybug] Actually… I have a bit of a strange request. Do you have any chamomile handy?**

"Ooooh, look… she wants you to give her _flowers_… good job, Romeo!" Plagg cackled. Adrien swatted at him without looking and typed his reply.

**[Adrien (to Ladybug)] We probably do. Father has a garden and Chef takes all sorts of things from there. It wouldn't surprise me if there were flowers among that. What do you need them for?**

**[Ladybug] You decent? Easier to explain in person.**

Adrien looked down at his black t-shirt and red shorts. _Could be worse, I suppose_.

**[Adrien (to Ladybug)] Come on over! I'll open the bathroom window and leave a towel for you so you don't track water everywhere.**

* * *

"You _see_, Tikki? I did _just fine._" She got dressed, hung up the robe, and said "_Spots on!_"

**[Ladybug] omw**

Ladybug closed the flip phone and put it in her yo-yo, along with her regular phone. She flipped open her yo-yo and took a picture of the tea recipe before climbing out the bathroom window. She closed it as much as she could without shutting it completely, and quickly swung to the opposite side of the mansion, where she found Adrien's bathroom window open as promised. She entered the bathroom and closed the window behind her. She picked up a towel and quickly dried off. _Lavender, the towel smells like lavender,_ her brain absently registered before she hung the towel up and went into Adrien's room.

"Hey," he called out. "Chef's going to send up breakfast for us. If she has chamomile, it'll be on the tray."

"You're a lifesaver, Adrien. Thanks." She sat down on the couch and frowned at the windows.

Adrien studied her face. "You don't like rain much either, huh?" He stood behind her and watched out the window.

"Rain is useful. It makes flowers grow. The air smells cleaner after a rainstorm. But Ladybug does not like going out in the rain. It made my kwami sick once, and I've been extra-cautious ever since."

"Yeah, I don't like being out in the rain much, either. But listening to it is relaxing."

Silence fell between them as the raindrops continued to tap and splatter on the large windows. There was a tiny knock at the door, and Adrien answered it while Ladybug laid down on the couch to stay out of sight. There was a muffled conversation, before Ladybug heard the door close.

"Coast is clear, Ladybug. Chef brought all sorts of stuff… I explained that I had some summer homework to do and I'd be snacking most of the morning. Let's see… pastries, hot milk, chocolate powder, cheese, some mugs, some teabags, a pot of hot water… and a bowl of dried flowers." He set the tray down on the table in front of the couch.

Ladybug sat up and regarded the tray with awe. "Wow, this is amazing! Thanks. I'm… not used to having stuff like this. Sorry if I gush about it too much."

"No, you're fine, honest. To be frank, sometimes I think it's a bit _too_ much. I've never known anything different, though. So… tell me," he said, "what did you need the chamo… uh, flowers for?"

"The Guardian of the Miraculous used to make a special blend of tea to help calm me down when I was feeling stressed. This morning, even though I slept amazing… let's just say it's one of those days. I think these flowers might have been his secret ingredient. I'll make enough for you to have some too, if you want?"

"Stressed, huh? Do you want to talk about it? And yes, I would absolutely love some tea. Thank you. What else do you need?"

Ladybug consulted her yo-yo for ingredients. "Let's see… just some green tea… hot water… and… huh. The flowers aren't the secret ingredient after all. It's a 'tear of joy'. Oh, boy," she said, blushing a bit.

"A tear of joy? Is that code for something? How do you get that?"

"No, it's literally a tear of joy. The last time I needed one, I had to tell corny jokes until Master Fu started crying from laughter. How's your sense of humor?"

"Do puns count?"

"So... bad, then." She giggled as Adrien pouted. "I'm kidding! Let's take turns telling jokes. First one to make the other person cry wins."

"I'll start, then…" Adrien paused and tapped his finger on his chin. "Why did the picture go to jail? It was _framed!_"

Ladybug rolled her eyes. _What have I gotten myself into? If I had known Adrien was this much of a dork when I was crushing on him… _"Not bad! My turn: What did the stamp say to the envelope? Stick with me, we'll go places!"

Adrien chuckled. "Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was _two tired!_"

A fit of giggles escaped Ladybug. "Why do dragons sleep during the day? So they can fight _knights!_"

"I thought you didn't like puns, Ladybug," Adrien winked at her.

"I just figured you'd appreciate them, that's all," she countered. "Your turn!"

"What did Cinderella say when her photos didn't show up?" He struck a ridiculous pose and sang, "Some-_day_, my _prints_ will come!"

That was enough for Ladybug. Seeing _Adrien Agreste_, fashion model and son of the stoic Gabriel Agreste, posing and singing Disney Princess songs sent her over the edge. Shocked, she doubled over in a fit of laughter. The feeling of his finger on her face below the mask brought her quickly back to reality with a gasp. She froze underneath his touch.

"I've got it," he whispered. "What should I do with it?"

"Huh?" Ladybug asked.

"The tear of joy… what should I do with it?"

"Oh, that… put it in the pot of hot water. I'll add the other ingredients." She watched as Adrien carefully opened the pot of hot water and angled his finger so the tear would drip into the pot.

"All yours… are you OK, Ladybug? You seem out of it all of a sudden."

"Yeah… sorry. Not really sure what happened there." She got up and walked over to the tray. She placed a handful of chamomile in the pot and two of the green tea bags. "This has to steep for about five minutes," she said awkwardly, and fidgeted with her hands while she waited. _For crying out loud, Ladybug… why on earth are you getting so flustered around Adrien like that? That's the second time in the past few days you've let him get to you!_ She traced an invisible line on the floor with her foot.

Adrien reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ummm… sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"That one's all me, I'm afraid," she replied, looking at the floor. "It's been a rough week."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Adrien asked again.

Ladybug poured two mugs of tea and gestured to the couch. Adrien sat down and faced her. She sat down, took a sip of tea, and smiled. "I think I can feel it working already," she sighed. "So. My week. Ladybug has had a week of fighting villains, losing the Guardian, choosing new heroes, healing kwamis… it's been busy. Just when I thought we got the drop on Serket, someone new comes along! It _never ends_… and with Master Fu gone, it's just that much more work."

"I can't imagine that… you probably depended on the Guardian a lot, didn't you?"

"I did… at least, in the end. I'm starting to understand the way he taught me. Since my kwami is always with me, he let her guide me for a bit and strengthen our relationship. He wasn't introduced to me as the Guardian until after your father was akumatized… well… akumatized himself, I guess. Sorry."

"It's OK…" Adrien laughed to lighten the mood. "...Heh… usually _I'm_ the one who gets flak for apologizing too much. So you worked with your kwami at first, and then the Guardian? That's amazing that you were able to figure out so much about being a hero on your own! You must be just as much of a hero underneath the mask, as well."

Ladybug blushed deep. "I don't feel like one right now, but thank you." _Especially with what happened last night with Luka._

"So… after you met the Guardian, then he started tutoring you more closely?"

"A little bit, yeah. Mostly when I asked for it. It was only in the past couple of weeks that we really got into the heavy stuff. He knew his time was coming, and he asked me to take over as Guardian for him. I had already been doing some of the stuff unofficially… but it was a tremendous weight on my shoulders. My kwami, and some of the other ones, have been great… but now that we are in hiding, I'm separated from them for a while. Even though the accommodations here are pretty _sweet_," she smiled to emphasize the pun, "I'm still… alone. Does that make sense?"

"You pretty much described my life after Mother disappeared," Adrien replied. "Here I am in basically a house-within-a-house, everything I could ever want or need either here already or obtainable at a snap of my fingers… except companionship. Father is… distant. My bodyguard is silent. Nathalie is what you would get if Siri were a person, but also if Siri made your own schedule and menu. There's _living_ here, but there's no _life_." _With one notable exception,_ he finished to himself.

"I never realized… Adrien, I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, Ladybug. My friend Kagami - you remember her, she was akumatized into Riposte - is trying to break me out of my shell and help me figure out who I really am underneath all of the Gabriel clothes. Gabriel clothes, Gabriel shadow, Gabriel _life!_" he chuckled bitterly. "He's been more open to letting me get out since he stopped being Hawk Moth, thankfully. I don't think it will ever be like how it was before Mother disappeared, though." He frowned.

Ladybug reached out tentatively and put her hand on his upper arm. "Maybe it won't… but maybe it will be better, too. We just have to live our lives the best we can and leave the world a better place than when we found it." _Maybe I should take my own advice this time, too._

"Saying things like that make me more positive that you're Ladybug, with or without the mask. Thanks." He drained his mug. "You're right, this was very calming. Can I pour you another mug?"

"No thanks, Adrien. I feel a lot better after just the one. If I had two, I think I'd probably just melt right here from being so relaxed." She grinned. "Thanks for talking with me. It means more than I can possibly express right now." She looked up at the rain beating on the windows and smiled softly. "I'll take you up on that movie now, if that's OK. I just need to text Chat first and figure out a time to meet up with him later today. Maybe the rain will have let up by then," she said, extracting her flip phone from her yo-yo.

Adrien briefly froze, then discreetly slipped his hand into his shorts pocket to turn off his flip phone's ringer. He felt the vibration of an incoming message, then smiled at Ladybug and asked, "What would you like to watch?"


	31. Rain and Fire

Ladybug and Adrien wound up settling on the classic _Pink Panther_ movie. Adrien's hand kept fidgeting and plunging into his pocket, absently playing with the flip phone sequestered in there. _I've gotta figure out a way to return My Lady's message without her figuring out that it's *me* returning her message._ He saw his opening during the car chase scene when Ladybug excused herself to use the bathroom after a fit of laughter. He paused the movie, waited for the bathroom door to shut, and quickly pulled out his flip phone.

**[Ladybug] Holed up for a bit waiting for the rain to stop. Meet this afternoon?**

Adrien smiled fondly; knowing that Ladybug was holed up with _him _made him feel warm inside.

[**Chat Noir] Sounds purr-fect. 3 at the Tower? We can figure out somewhere else if it's still raining. =^.^=**

He quickly snapped the Chat-phone closed and shoved it in his pocket when he heard water running. A minute later, Ladybug returned. She extracted the flip phone from her yo-yo, rolled her eyes at the message waiting for her, and sent a text back. Adrien felt the phone in his pocket vibrate and smiled. "Oh, I should ask… what does your kwami eat?"

"Cookies, why?"

"Do you have any cookies handy? I just realized that you had to do a quick transformation just now, and that can't be fun for your kwami. What's your kwami's name, anyway?"

"I don't have any cookies handy, and her name is Tikki."

"Tikki, huh? That's a cute name. Since you don't have any cookies, I'll have Chef send some up. That way you have some handy. Keep them in your room, just in case." He reached over to the table, picked up his phone, and sent a quick text. "Ready to re-start the movie?"

Ladybug smiled and laughed. "I can't believe I've never seen this before. By all means," she gestured to the TV, then sat down on the couch.

Adrien hit _Start_ on the remote control and scooted a bit closer to Ladybug as he put the remote on the table. If Ladybug noticed, she didn't say anything.

* * *

Kagami was in her room reading when she heard muffled shouting downstairs. She crooked her head and tried to listen. _That sounds like Mother… I wonder what's got her all worked up._

"You didn't find anything on that list of people at the wake! I thought you were chasing a foolproof lead!"

"You watch your tone with me, old friend, or you will find yourself consumed with Vengeance and without any power to act on it!"

_And that's her houseguest, Mr. Chou,_ Kagami recognized.

"You're sure you checked everyone who was there?"

"Yes, everyone who signed the guest register has been checked… even the Agreste boy."

"Was there anyone else at the wake who would not have signed the guest book?"

"Yes, actually… the widow… and the caterer."

"Where do you want to start?"

_Wake? Agreste boy? Vengeance?_ _Something's not right here. I need to warn Adrien…_ she grabbed her phone and fired off a text, then sneaked downstairs and ran out the side door.

* * *

Adrien's phone vibrated just as the end credits rolled.

"That was good," Ladybug stretched and yawned. "And the rain's let up, too! What a great way to spend the morning!" she exclaimed, then blushed a bit. "Sorry, it's been a while since I've been able to relax like that."

"I'm glad you liked it!" His expression changed as he read the message on his phone. "Huh. I think Kagami's in trouble. You should probably hang in your room for a bit..." He passed the phone to Ladybug so she read the message.

**[Kagami] Something's really weird… just heard my mom and her houseguest arguing. Heading over to tell you about it, be there in 15**

"What would an argument be about that would cause her to come over here?"

"I honestly have no idea. We're friends, but not share-family-problems type friends." _And I can't tell you my suspicions about Serket yet, because they're Chat's suspicions and I'm not supposed to know about them._ "Her mom and her mom's houseguest… she did mention the last time I saw her that the houseguest was at Mr. Chan's wake. I wonder if there's a connection there? Other than that, I have no idea."

Ladybug hummed. "That might be too much of a coincidence to overlook. Are you going to be OK alone here?"

"Yeah, it's just Kagami. But if you're uncomfortable… I suppose you could hide in my bathroom and eavesdrop."

"That almost seems like a worse option… but it's the best we have. Let's see what she has to say."

* * *

After a few minutes, Adrien shut Ladybug in his bathroom. His phone buzzed.

**[Kagami] outside**

Adrien went downstairs and let Kagami in. "So, what's up?"

"Not here," she said tersely, and started mounting the stairs to Adrien's room.

Adrien raced ahead of her and opened the door. Once it was shut, he repeated, "What's up? Is everything OK?"

"Everything is OK with _me_, Adrien - it's _you_ I'm concerned about."

"_Me?_ What for?"

"Mother and her houseguest were discussing something. I don't know what. She yelled at him about checking everyone that signed the guest register at the wake. Your name came up. Has anything suspicious happened around here recently?"

_You mean, aside from Serket showing up and demanding Miraculous and defeating me in a quick… fencing match. This pretty much confirms my theory. Holy crap - how do I break this to her? Is she even *safe*? I'm not sure how much I can help out; it's not like my house is suddenly the Home for Girls Threatened by Serket_. "Define 'suspicious'," he hedged.

"Has anybody come to visit you? Anybody connected to the wake?"

"Kagami, I can honestly tell you that nobody connected to the wake has come to visit me."

"I wonder what that meant, then. There's something else that worries me. There were two people that they were going to check out next: the widow, and the caterer. Was your friend married?"

Adrien's eyes widened, and panic immediately took over. "Um, I have no idea about the marriage… but Marinette's family catered that wake! I've got to warn her!" He turned around and raced out his bedroom door without checking to see if Kagami was following him. Pushing past his bodyguard, he sprinted down the hall and into the afternoon toward the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

* * *

Ladybug's eyes widened as she heard Kagami mention the wake. As soon as Kagami said "caterer", Ladybug leaped out the bathroom window and flung herself toward the bakery. _If I get there in time, I'll be able to catch Serket… or Le Faisan… or both._ Her heart fell as she approached the bakery and saw a pillar of black smoke rising from it. _No! My entire *life* was in there! I'm glad Mom and Dad got the word and got out, otherwise we would really have been in trouble. Things are replaceable. People aren't._

She looked up the road and saw Adrien and Kagami running toward the bakery from the opposite direction. _Crap! They got here too soon. It will raise too many questions if Marinette's out of town after she talked to Adrien this morning. _She ran into the side entrance and into the shop below, coughing from the flames. When she neared the front of the shop, she shouted "Spots off!". A pink flash of light later, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng closed her eyes, covered her face, and threw herself through the large window of the front door.

* * *

"Marinette! Marinette, are you okay?" Adrien raced up to the girl, who was lying in a heap on the sidewalk. He turned her over onto her side and carefully brushed the glass out of her hair and off of her clothes. Marinette was dressed in a Jagged Stone t-shirt, which was slightly singed, blue jeans, and sandals, and her forearms and back were scraped and cut from where she crashed through the window and landed on the hard concrete. Her left elbow was a bloody mess.

She opened her eyes tentatively and coughed. "Adrien…"

He frantically looked her over for injuries. "Are you ok? Are your parents inside? Do you need help?" The wail of sirens in the distance got closer, and a crowd had gathered around the two teens. Kagami stood at the edge of the crowd, making sure Adrien and Marinette weren't engulfed by the people.

"Parents… out of town with Grandma. Bakery… closed. I was asleep. Lazy day today, I guess, with the rain." She looked at him and smiled.

"I'm glad to hear you were the only one in there… but… your stuff! Your sewing stuff! Oh my gosh, the band outfits! You worked so hard on them, Marinette, and the battle of the bands is in ten days… all that work for nothing!"

"I'm lucky, Adrien. I sent the outfits over to Grandma's for the day so she could check them out. You know how she is - she's totally into that rock and roll look," she grinned. "Hopefully they didn't get too wet from the rain, but I can pick them up tomorrow."

"You're going to need a sewing machine and everything at your hotel. How can I help?"

"Just a tailor's kit, and those are easy to come by. The bulk of the sewing is done, and the rest I can do by hand."

"OK, that's good to hear. Still… if there's anything I can do… do you have a place to stay tonight? My, um, guest suite is booked already, but I'm sure we can make room for you somewhere in the mansion."

Just then an ambulance and fire truck arrived on the scene. The firefighters went to work on putting the building out, and the medics came up to Marinette. "Excuse us, sir," they said, bumping Adrien out of the way so they could fit Marinette with an oxygen mask. "You've probably suffered some smoke inhalation and minor burns along with these cuts. Sit in the back of the ambulance so we can examine you, please." They helped Marinette to her feet and into the back of the ambulance, where they began extracting glass bits from her cuts and applying ointments and salves to the burns.

Adrien shuffled his feet and watched the medics at work.

"She's lucky," came Kagami's voice from over his shoulder. Adrien jumped, startled, and whirled around to face her. "Whoa, easy there… you're probably stressed."

"Lucky…" he repeated. "Yeah." He exhaled. _Why am I shaking so badly? I'm not the one who almost died there. Marinette is going to be okay… I swore that I would always be there to save her. I almost didn't make it in time._

"I need to talk to Ladybug," Kagami said. "I think I can help put the pieces together. You had some sort of breakthrough with her; can you send her my way? Text me to find out where I'll be when you see her. I'm not sure I want to be at my house right now." She nodded to the ambulance. "Take care of her, Adrien. I know you've got your sights on someone else, but that girl loves you. I… I know I said I was targeting you when we first went to dinner. I'll always fight for you and will stand up for you, even when you're being super-oblivious. But I'm smart enough to know that your heart's not with me, and I accept that."

"Kagami, it's…"

"No, hear me out. This isn't goodbye. You're a special person, and I'm proud to call you my friend. But I'm even more proud that you call me your friend. And friends want the best for each other. I never hesitate, Adrien - and seeing you here today with Marinette gave me all the information I need. I'm changing targets - but that doesn't mean I can't be your good friend, too." She held out her hand, and Adrien shook it. "Remember: Ladybug. It's important. Until next time, _friend._"

* * *

The medics finished working on Marinette and let Adrien approach her after an agonizing half-hour wait. "Is she with you, Mr. Agreste?" one of them asked.

"She is," Adrien confirmed. "I'll be taking her back to my place." At the questioning look on Marinette's face, he quickly added. "Don't argue. You need some rest. I have somewhere to be this afternoon, so please take advantage of my offer. My bodyguard will help you out if you need anything. Call your parents and have them come get you. They're probably on the way here now as it is. They'll want to know that you're safe."

Marinette grimaced. _They'll probably want to know why I was at the bakery at all when I told them I was staying with Alix,_ she thought. _This isn't good… and Ladybug needs to meet up with Chat soon to get a scoop on Serket. I don't know how I'm going to get out of this hole I've dug myself into._

* * *

When Adrien and Marinette were back at the mansion, Adrien summoned his bodyguard and instructed him to get Marinette some clothes from the Gabriel warehouse. "Here's her size, here's what she likes, but just get her something to wear, please. Call it… five outfits." He called his chef and asked for lunch for two to be delivered to his room immediately.

He walked over to the couch, where Marinette, now bandaged up, was sitting. "I'm glad to see you're OK. Wait here… I have to, um, grab a shower after all this excitement. Chef will be up shortly and will put the food on the table. Don't move a muscle, don't do anything, just relax, OK?" He gave her a reassuring smile, went to the bathroom, and shut the door.

Marinette felt her purse vibrate. _That must be the Chat-phone_, she mused. _I'll just check it real fast… oops._ She opened her purse to see a very angry kwami looking back at her. "Um… hi, Tikki. Look, I can explain!"

Tikki flew out of her purse and said in a very low, very irritated voice. "Marinette. You were almost seriously hurt, or _worse._ Explain yourself, _now._"

"I panicked, Tikki! I couldn't let Adrien know that I was out of town, especially since I told him this morning I was working on the band outfits! Besides, I'm safe… it's just a few little cuts."

"Are you telling me that you risked your life to save your _secret identity?_"

"Well… yeah. If Serket or Le Faisan figure out who I am, then we're sunk, Tikki! I can't risk that."

"Marinette." Tikki drew herself up to her full height. Even at four inches tall, she managed to look imposing. Marinette quailed in front of her kwami. "Guardians make better decisions than that. You trust Adrien. He clearly trusts you… on both sides of the mask. It's time to take advantage of that trust, Marinette."

"Are you saying I should _tell him who I am_, Tikki?" Marinette asked, flabbergasted.

The phone in her purse buzzed again.

"For now, I'll settle with you checking your messages. Chat's probably waiting for news, especially with what just happened at your house."

Marinette pulled out her phone and flipped it open.

**[Adrien] I don't know how much you heard but Marinette's in trouble. Also there was a woman at the wake… she's probably in trouble, too**

**[Chat Noir] My Lady… something happened. Need to talk to you. We still on for the Tower at 3?**

_Who do I answer first?_ she thought to herself. _I need to meet Kitty, try to save Ms. Lenoir…_ she winced. _And I'm feeling pretty banged up now that the adrenaline is wearing off._

**[Ladybug] Yeah… we definitely need to talk. Meet me there as soon as you can /(%)\**

She flipped her phone shut, pulled out her regular phone, and texted her mother.

**[Marinette] I'm fine, I'm at Adrien's. Take care of what you need to take care of at the bakery and don't worry about me. I'm safe and will catch up with you later.**

She then opened a new message and texted Adrien.

**[Marinette]** **Mom and Dad just picked me up, that's why I'm gone. Text you later and thank you for being there for me.**

She put her regular phone in her purse, quietly called for her transformation, and opened the bedroom window. She looked wistfully over her shoulder at the closed bathroom door before yo-yoing over to the guest room. Once inside, she rummaged through her school bag, picked out a pen and paper, and began to write.


	32. Yellow and Pink

Ladybug leaped out the Agreste guest window and shortly afterwards arrived at the top of the Eiffel Tower. _I beat Chat here… for once._ She smiled fondly and surveyed the city. The TVI building looked the worse for wear, and there was still a small plume of smoke over her bakery, but Paris was still as beautiful as ever.

The familiar clank of a metal staff against iron girders announced the arrival of Chat Noir. "My Lady," he said by way of greeting. "It's been a busy day. How are you doing?"

"Busy is not the word for it. Were you able to make progress on your investigation?" she asked tersely.

"I was, my Lady. I can't tell you how I know this, but I have reason to believe that Serket is Kagami Tsurugi's mother. You remember Kagami; she was the fencing akuma, Riposte."

Ladybug gasped. "How did you… no, wait, you said you can't tell me. _Grr!_ How sure are you?"

"I'd bet one of my nine lives on it," Chat responded.

"Kitty, I thought you were down to six." She grinned and poked him in the side, he responded by smacking at her left elbow, only to quickly apologize when Ladybug grimaced. "It's nothing, Chat. I got a little banged up underneath all of this and I guess it's worse than I initially thought."

"Heh, funny you should mention that, Bug, because I've been through the same thing… I sprained my ankle right before our fight with Riposte and it still affected me a bit. I guess these suits only protect us from harm when we're already in them. Anything that happens when we're not transformed carries over."

"Looks that way," Ladybug said, running her elbow gingerly. "Anyway… Mrs. Tsurugi is Serket… okay. Any clues as to Le Faisan?"

Chat hummed. "She has been entertaining a houseguest for the past couple of weeks. I'd start there. We can't just approach them, though… they'd overpower us, and we need a plan. We'd probably need reinforcements, too. What about the usual crew? Rena, Carapace, and Queen Bee?"

"They're not available. Viperion is off the table, too. We could use Aspik, but he's still kinda new to the game. It's a shame there's not another experienced Miraculous holder out there who can help us out."

"I'm not sure Aspik and I would work well together, Bug," Chat teased. "After all, the boy you're crushing on and the boy crushing on you working together? I can't picture that ever happening."

Ladybug cringed and replied softly, "Chat, I _said_ I was sorry. And you'll have to deal with it if we do bring him along! We need the best chance to win, and we were already close with him!"

Chat's eyes twinkled. "My Lady, I'm just worried about him… once he sees what he's up against..." he made a show of flexing his muscles. "Besides, My Lady, I've said it before and I'll say it again: if you saw me without the mask, you wouldn't be able to resist me." He smiled a very Cheshire Cat-like grin at her.

"If you say so, Kitty," Ladybug rolled her eyes. "But _focus_, please… I also think we should bring our power-ups, just in case. If Le Faisan shoots fire, then we should be able to use that, too."

"A fantastic idea, Bug. So… snakes, fire, and surprises. How do we lure them out?"

"I think we would really just need to wait for them… but that's fighting them on their terms. We can't afford that. It all started at the Trocadero; let's meet there tomorrow at noon. I'll bring Aspik and my power-ups. You bring your power-ups and we'll get ready for battle."

"You got it, Bug. Let's get this done." _And I need to figure out how to be both Chat and Aspik at the same time… this is going to be a juggling act._ He moved to stand up, but Ladybug put her hand on his arm. "Yes, my Lady?"

"Chat… I still need to talk to you. About earlier today." She sighed and looked out over the city, indicating the small plums of smoke in the distance. "Serket or Le Faisan or both attacked a bakery today. Marinette's bakery. I was too late to do anything about it, and Marinette was hurt. Not badly, just a little banged up. It could have been a lot worse, but she's… lucky."

"How's her family? Were they home? They weren't hurt, were they?" The pain of seeing his friend lying injured on the ground came through in his voice.

"No, they're out of town. Kitty… I'm scared. I thought I would be okay and I'm just not." She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. "Serket, the Guardian, Hawk Moth, Alya, Adrien, Marinette and her family… all of this is very overwhelming. I had someone I could turn to, but I couldn't tell that person anything about my Ladybug life, and since that's pretty much all that's been going on recently, I wound up shutting him out. It cost me, _dearly_, to do that. I know what I've said in the past about our identities, and I still think they should be secrets… but…" She paused again. "Let me put it this way. I've got a part of my brain that reflexively clouds over whenever I think about who you are underneath the mask. I don't know if you have that or not… but if you do, it's ok to turn it off. I have that yellow envelope with your identity in it, and I don't want _anything_ to put our partnership out of balance. So, here." She reached into her yo-yo and extracted a small pink envelope. "Now we're even again. You'll know when it's time to open it."

Chat took the envelope and looked at it warily. "My Lady… are you sure?"

"More than anything else in my life right now. I've had secrets wreck my life and secrets wreck my friend's life. I don't want it to wreck ours, too."

He unzipped his suit pocket and reverently placed the envelope in there before zipping it back up. "I'll guard this with my life, my Lady. Cat's honor."

"I know you will, Kitty. I've got to go get ready for tomorrow. You should, too. Go rest up. I'll be in touch later." She stood up and paused slightly, looking down at her partner, before swinging off into the Paris afternoon.

Chat watched her fade into a red spot in the distance. He toyed with the zipper on his pocket and said, under his breath, "Well… that happened." He shook his head in disbelief and vaulted off toward his house. _I hope I beat her there._

* * *

Ladybug wasn't heading to the Agreste mansion just yet. _As much as I'd love to think of that place as home… I just can't. I'm on a mission, and the sooner I get this mission done, the sooner I'll get my home back. I have a stop to make._ She swung by a park that overlooked the Seine river and looked at the benches. Mr. Ramier was sitting on one of the benches feeding the pigeons. The other bench, as it had been on other occasions, was empty. Ladybug sat in a tree, staring at the bench. _I wish she would come by. I hope she is safe - and if she isn't, I need to know how to protect her._

After a half-hour had passed, Ladybug sighed and swung away toward the right bank of the Seine. She stopped in front of a familiar apartment building. There was a new sign next to the entrance door: "For Rent. Call Sempé Properties at…" Dejected, she opened the door and climbed the stairs, feet mechanically following the path that she knew so well. When she reached the door to Master Fu's old apartment, she halted. On instinct, she reached for the doorknob and tried to turn it, but it was locked.

"Silly," she said aloud. "I don't know what I was thinking, coming here. You're not here, Master. I miss you more than I want to admit. I feel like there's another conversation we should have had about being the Guardian - about beating Serket and Le Faisan - about finding a companion, which you _never told me about!_ by the way." She chuckled. "There's a great secret that I missed, some little bit of information, or something that I should be seeing that I'm not. I know there is… a key to defeating Serket. Instead, I'm alone with my partner, all the other regular Miraculous holders are unavailable, the first person I picked outside of them didn't work out, and I'm scared about the second one. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm scared, period. I'm just a _kid_, and here I am with the weight of the city on my shoulders… and I really need someone to talk to, and _you're not here anymore_." Tears fell unbidden from her eyes and dropped on the ground. She brought her head forward until it hit the door.

It was to her great surprise that she suddenly lurched forward as the door opened. "Ladybug," came a voice from the shadows. "I thought I heard your voice. Come in, quickly." Marianne Lenoir pulled her in by the arm and closed the door behind her, locking it.

* * *

Chat Noir landed in an alley convenient to his house. _I can't go barging into my room like I usually do… if Marinette or Ladybug - or both! - is there, then that will lead to too many questions I don't want to answer._ He pulled the pink envelope from his pocket and twisted it between his fingers. _You'll know when to open this, she said. If she had given this to me before, I probably would have torn it open on the spot! _He frowned. _But would I have, really? Hang on, I need to talk to Plagg about this._ "Claws in," he said, and Plagg was at his side after a flash of green light.

"Sooooooo," Plagg drawled. "You've got a gift from Ladybug! Are you going to open it?"

"That's the thing, Plagg, I'm not." Adrien watched as the kwami's eyes grew wide. "I know, I know… this is the chance to find out who the girl of my dreams really is! But she told me… _I'll know when to open it_… and now doesn't feel like the right time. Just like in the hotel after Lady Wifi, or in the Dark Owl's trap… or even in the sewer during Heroes Day. I had three golden opportunities to open my eyes, or open a door, or peek around a ledge… and there she would have been! But that would have been betraying her trust. And here," he waved the envelope at Plagg, "is the physical manifestation of that trust!" He stuck his chest out with pride. "I've been keeping it for so long, I can afford to keep it a little longer."

"But what if she opens her envelope with your name in it?"

"Then she'll know! She knows how I feel about her, as Adrien and as Chat Noir. That doesn't worry me one bit. Maybe Chat scared her off a bit, but Adrien's been sincere with her. And I know how Ladybug feels about Adrien Agreste… she told me herself! I'm flattered that she would even give me the time of day, but that's the kind of person she is! She's risked herself to save me so many times… both as Adrien _and_ as Chat. She's amazing, and my life has been brighter ever since I found out that she likes me at least as much as I like her."

"You don't just _like_ her, you know…"

"Plagg, you're the one bringing that up? After all your talk about feelings being icky? Fine, have it your way! I love her! I told her I would follow her to the moon without a spacesuit, and I would. Twice, if she asked me! I've loved that girl since the moment I laid eyes on her, and I've spent my life since then trying to catch up to her and catch her eye. I just hope… I just hope she loves me too." He pocketed the envelope and made his way back to the mansion.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Ladybug asked Ms. Lenoir. "I thought the apartment was for rent!"

"It _is_ for rent… I just keep it clean for when the property manager shows it. I have a little arrangement with him. Plus… I miss Fu, too. This is my way of keeping his memory alive a little bit. Tell me, Ladybug… you seemed upset. Have a seat." She gestured to a small table with two chairs.

"Thanks, Miss Lenoir. I admit… I'm a bit shocked. I never thought I'd see you again!" Suddenly, Ladybug's voice took on an urgent tone as she remembered why she wanted to see Fu's old confidante. "You're in danger! Le Faisan and Serket are looking for you. They burned down my bakery this morning and are coming after you because they think you might be the Guardian!"

"Calm down, Ladybug. Yes, I know all of that. You don't think I survived years in the French Resistance and as the companion of the Guardian without learning a few tricks, have you? I'm perfectly fine moving around in times of danger. Fu lived in hiding under an assumed name."

"Yes, and they _knew_ that name from his wake! If they looked up where he lived, they could-"

Ms. Lenoir held up a hand to stop Ladybug. "They would find an old building of rent-controlled apartments that has long since been condemned. Not even squatters are brave enough to go in there. We are safe. For now," she added.

"How… how can you be so confident?"

"I wasn't always like this, Ladybug. Fu and I met in East Africa. I was a nurse in the French Colonies, and he was… well, he was Fu. He wandered, never choosing to stay in one place for very long. He and I must have been destined to be together, since he kept coming back to visit. He told me stories of adventure, romance, heartache… I was a naive girl, fresh from university. I fell in love with the life he was leading, and I made a decision then and there to follow that life. Shortly after that, I fell in love with him, and we were together ever since."

"When did he tell you about the Miraculous?"

"Oh, it must have been about a year after we started traveling together. I thought he was an archaeologist, or a paleontologist, or some sort of scientist. He was always writing things down, taking notes, and telling me interesting facts about the places we visited. After I had gained his trust, he sat me down and told me the story of the Miraculous. A year after that, he told me what he was searching for. Ten years after that, he told me the story of the Temple. You are lucky," Ms. Lenoir grinned, "it didn't take him nearly as long to finally tell you. Now, my story is not important, as it is coming to an end. Your story is just beginning, my dear. Please… what did you learn from Master Fu's teachings?"

Ladybug frowned. "He told me how to heal kwamis, and how to make tea…" She struggled to find the words and wound up gesturing helplessly in the air.

"What did you learn from the destruction of the Temple?" Ms. Lenoir prompted gently.

"I learned… he was human. He made mistakes. He used the Wish selfishly and it backfired on him. He felt that him wandering the globe searching for the missing Miraculous was his punishment for being selfish. Miss Lenoir… what if _I_ make a mistake? I don't want to spend the rest of my life being punished for it! Besides," she rubbed her elbow gingerly, "I feel like I'm already going down that path."

"Ladybug. As Fu was human, so are you. You are allowed to make mistakes! You are not as selfish as Fu was in that moment. He let himself be taken in by Temptation and guided to do something foolish. Don't get me wrong - Sass is wise in his own way and can see into people's hearts. You have used him already, have you not?"

"I have. Twice."

"And did you talk with him, or did you just shut him in the Miracle Box when he was not needed?"

Ladybug blushed. "I talked with him. He offered to show me what was in the minds of the two boys that he powered."

"Did you take him up on that offer?"

"I… did." Ladybug hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry… I guess that was my way of giving into Temptation myself."

"I see. Do not fear, Ladybug. Whatever else Sass may be, he is honest and means well. Think back on what he said and whether or not it was useful. You would be surprised, I think." Ms. Lenoir cleared her throat. "Now, Ladybug. I have no tea to offer you to calm your nerves. But I will tell you that you know everything you need to know to defeat Serket and her friend. The power of Ladybug is luck and creation - two things which you already have plenty of. The secret to defeating those two and gaining their Miraculous is within you. Look into your _heart_, Ladybug. It will guide you."

Ladybug fought back more tears as the older woman talked to her. "Thanks," she sniffed. "How can I get in touch with you again if we need to talk?"

"You should not need to talk to me again, Ladybug. You have a companion of your own. Trust in him."

"But… my boyfriend and I just broke up!"

"Child," Ms. Lenoir smiled gently. "You know of whom I speak. Go to him. Confide in him. Trust him. It will give you the strength you need to defeat Serket."

"Is this… is this goodbye, then?" Ladybug said, heavy hearted.

"No, Ladybug. You will see me once more. Fu has given me a final mission to fulfill. I will be there when it is time. Now… go. Your companion awaits you."


	33. I Wish I May, I Wish I Might

Ladybug entered her suite at the Agreste mansion via the bathroom window. She quickly walked through the suite to make sure nobody was in there and the door was locked, and de-transformed. She took a cookie from the tray that was left on the table in the bedroom and playfully tossed it to Tikki, who caught it gratefully.

Marinette walked over to the mirror and examined herself. Her left elbow was wrapped in a bandage, and her forearms were covered in angry red marks. _I did this… just to keep my secret identity safe. Stupid! _She shook her head at herself, opened up her purse, and pulled out her flip phone. She went to send a message, but instead chose a contact and pressed the _Call_ button.

* * *

Adrien was at the piano playing a piece from memory when his phone rang. He grabbed the phone and gaped at the name on the screen. "Hello?"

"Hi, Adrien… just checking to see if you're home," he heard Ladybug's voice on the other end of the line.

"Yes! Just playing a bit of piano, don't mind me."

"Do you have anything I can plug a flash drive into?"

"Yes, you can use my computer. When do you think you'll be over?"

"Give me five minutes, will that work?"

"That's fine. Have you eaten? There's lunch over here waiting."

He heard the smile in her voice as she answered, "If there's lunch, then give me two minutes. See you then."

"Bye," he ended the call. "My Lady," he added.

True to form, Ladybug was perched in his bedroom window a short time later. He waved her inside and got up to join her at the table. "Are you hungry? We've got a sandwich tray, some cookies, some cheese… if you don't like anything, I'll just have Chef send up some more…"

"It looks delicious, Adrien, and thanks," she cut him off. "Speaking of Chef, be sure to thank her for me for those cookies in my room. They're really good."

"Chef makes the second-best cookies in Paris. I'm glad you like them!"

"Second-best, huh? Who makes the first?" Ladybug asked, a sly smile on her face.

"Marinette's bakery does… or did, I guess. That's a shame; I hope they can rebuild."

"Me too, Adrien. I really love that family," Ladybug said, staring off into the distance. Realizing what she had said, she snapped herself back to reality and continued, "So! The thumb drive. What do you have for me?"

Adrien gestured over to his computer. "Make yourself at home. And while you do that, I'll make you a sandwich. Do you have any preference?"

"You really don't have to, you have done enough…"

"Ladybug, _I insist._ Now, do you have a preference?" Adrien politely yet firmly repeated.

"No… no preference. Make me something you like," she said gratefully. She sat down at Adrien's desk, woke his computer up, and inserted the thumb drive that Master Fu had given her. She opened the copy of the grimoire and started scrolling through it.

Adrien looked up from the lunch table to see what Ladybug was looking at. He saw ancient drawings of costumed heroes next to an ancient code up on the monitors. Plating a ham and cheese sandwich, he grabbed a bottle of water and brought it over to the desk. "Here you go," he said. "Mind if I pull up a chair?"

"Not at all," Ladybug replied, taking a bite from the sandwich. "I'm looking up something from a book that Master Fu gave me that is basically an instruction manual for the Guardian."

"Oh, the grimoire? Doesn't Father have a copy of that?"

Ladybug nearly dropped her food. "Yes! You're right, he does, unless he got rid of it. I returned it to him after The Collector… sorry," she finished lamely.

"No, that's OK. I'm doing better about that now. A bit. Do you want me to see if he still has it?"

"Stay here. I can get it later if we have to," she said, then continued scrolling through it. "Each page details the powers of the Miraculous. There's not a lot about the kwamis in here; from what I gathered, knowledge of the kwamis and the Miraculous was intentionally kept separate to keep someone from finding the grimoire and abusing the secrets in here. Not that it's easy to decipher the code, or anything like that… but the kwamis wouldn't be able to decipher it even if they wanted to. Whoever came up with this system is pretty genius, if you ask me. There is definitely balance inherent in this system. And speaking of balance…" she halted on a page that had Ladybug on one side and Chat Noir on the other side, with coded words densely packed between the two. "Yes, this is what I was looking for."

"You can read the code?" Adrien said, squinting at it.

"Master Fu taught me, then quizzed me every time he saw me since then. It's not difficult once you know it, thankfully… but I can see how it could be forgotten, too. I can't teach you, but I'll tell you what this page says. I think you'll be interested." She shot him a smile and took another bite of her sandwich.

"If you think you should, I mean…" He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't want to get in the way of official Guardian business."

"Like I said, I think you'll be interested. Here: _While any two Miraculous can be combined, using the powers of Creation and Destruction allows the wearer to make a Wish for anything. Beware - to maintain balance, there is an opposite reaction to everything that is Wished for._

"_The Ladybug and Black Cat are a special combination. Balanced, they are yin-and-yang to each other. When both the Ladybug and Black Cat are active, they will find themselves drawn together…_ OK, we can probably stop here." She squinted at the rest of the page. "The rest of this is just describing the incantation to perform the Wish. Do you mind if I print this out?"

Adrien put his hand over Ladybug's on the mouse, guided it to the Print icon, and clicked. "There's your answer," he said, pinking a bit. "So… a Wish for anything, huh? Why were you looking at that?"

Ladybug put her hands in her lap and swiveled a bit to face him. Fidgeting a bit, she said "You may not know this, Adrien… but your father was trying to get the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous so he could make that Wish and save your mother."

"Really?" Adrien's face was a mask, revealing nothing. "He… never mentioned it."

"He didn't tell me directly, either, but he told Chat about it. Chat wants to consider using the Wish to save Emilie… and I want to get your opinion on that."

"_My_ opinion? I'm flattered, but… why ask me? Other than the obvious… matters of the Miraculous should stay with the Guardian, don't you think?" He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck again, squirming a bit as he did so.

Ladybug placed her forearms on her knees. "It directly involves you, Adrien. And you have proven yourself worthy to wield a Miraculous. And," she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "I value your opinion, regardless of the first two qualifications."

* * *

Adrien leaned back in his chair and frowned. "Well, I think it goes without saying that of course I want Mother back. As far as Father… I've had a really hard time dealing with him being Hawk Moth. I'm not going to lie about that. I'm not sure I understand how he came to be the biggest supervillain Paris had ever seen. He was a good man. He worked hard. He was creative, loving, generous… and then Mother disappeared. You know how he is now; I wonder if bringing Mother back would do him any good? Has he forgotten how to be the person he used to be? Would it even change anything? Would Mother want to _be_ with him, knowing what he did while she was, well, sick? I know this Wish is supposed to be for _anything_… but would it be worth it?"

Ladybug reached out and took his hands in hers. The emotion that Adrien was keeping behind his carefully-practiced public mask burst through in overflowing waves, and he collapsed forward in his chair, resting his head on her forearms. His shoulders shook as weeks… months… _years_ of frustration with his home life poured out.

_My heart breaks for this poor boy. It's a good thing I've got my Ladybug mask on, because I'm not sure I would have been able to handle this as Marinette._ She gently pulled his hands toward her until she could put them on her shoulders. She reached around his back and pulled Adrien closer until his head was resting on her shoulder. After a few minutes, she could make out words in between the sobs.

"Sorry… silly… making a mess…" he blubbered into her costume.

Ladybug stroked his hair and made shushing noises to soothe him. When the sobbing passed, she looked around for a tissue and spotted a handkerchief on the desk. _That's odd… I could have sworn that wasn't there a minute ago! Oh well… I'm not going to complain._ She handed the handkerchief to Adrien, who dabbed at his eyes and blew his nose before he lifted his head off of her shoulder.

Red-rimmed green eyes met red-masked blue eyes. "Really… I'm sorry, Ladybug… your costume is probably a huge mess now. I shouldn't have lost control like that."

Ladybug smiled tenderly. "It sounds like you've been keeping that in for a while. It's OK, Adrien. I'm glad you finally got it out. It looks like I'm not the only one who has been hiding things behind a mask." She reached out again and gripped his hands, staring into his eyes. "For what it's worth, Adrien… I've seen your mother. I spoke with your father. I think… I think he's sincere, and capable of change. I also think he _wants_ to change, Adrien. He's hurt you and made your life miserable in ways I can't even imagine. Maybe you should talk to him and tell him your concerns."

"I can't do that, Ladybug. I'm not strong."

"I'm strong with you, Adrien."

His head jerked back at the familiar exchange_._ In a tiny voice, he asked "Will you… come with me?"

"Do you think that's wise? I don't want to intimidate your father into doing anything he normally wouldn't, and I also don't want to have it look like I'm forcing you to do anything."

"Wait at the door, then. Can you do that for me, please?" Adrien's wide eyes searched Ladybug's desperately.

"Yes, Adrien, I can do that for you. When would you like to go?"

"Is now OK?"

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"No… but I need to." He stood up out of his chair and stretched. Steeling himself, he held out his hand. Ladybug took it without a second thought and stood up. They left Adrien's room and went down the stairs hand-in-hand to the door of Gabriel's office.

Ladybug gave him a squeeze, whispered "Good luck," and watched as Adrien entered the room.

* * *

"Adrien," Gabriel said, his head snapping up from his computer terminal. With long strides, he closed the distance to where the boy was standing. He reached out as if to hug Adrien, but let his hands fall to his sides instead.

"Father," Adrien said warily in response.

Gabriel rocked back on his heels. "It's been… a while since we've seen each other."

"It's not like we've seen each other that much for the past two years," Adrien pointed out politely, but with an unmistakable edge in his voice. "In fact, the last time I _did_ see you, it was because your assistant told you to take me out for dessert."

"That's… true," Gabriel said, abashed. "And… that was my fault. For what it's worth… I'm sorry."

Adrien paced in place, nervous energy filling his body. "Sorry? _Sorry?_ I did _everything_ you asked me to do! I was your perfect son, your model… I would have done _anything you asked_ just to spend time with you! And in the meantime, you're off being a supervillain, trying to take over the world!"

"I never wanted to take over the world, Adrien." Gabriel's voice shook. "As I explained to Ladybug and to Chat Noir, I just wanted to bring Emilie back. That's all I wanted to do. I regret the suffering I caused and the rift in my family… in _our_ family. Do you know why I haven't come to see you? I've been ashamed. I'm _ashamed_ to be called your father. I haven't earned that title over the past couple of years. And… I hope you can forgive me. Eventually," he concluded with a sigh.

"Forgive you? For being a bad father and a terrorist?" Disbelief was etched on his face and in his voice.

"I just wanted your mother back!" Gabriel snapped. "Not just for me… but for you!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Sorry. Your mother and I had… big dreams for the Miraculous. We wanted to help people. After she started getting sick… I got desperate. Obsessed. _I wanted my Emilie back, Adrien._ And I know you want her back, too. I hope one day you find someone in your life that you would do anything for to save them."

Adrien opened his mouth, then shut it. _I do have someone that I would do anything for… and she's waiting outside these doors for me. If Ladybug turned evil, would I risk it all to get her back? If she was hurt, would I hurt people to get her back? If she died, would I be willing to kill to avenge her?_ He shuddered at where his mind was taking him. _Father would do all that for Mother,_ he realized. _I'm too blinded from being on the receiving end of him risking everything. After all, he and I have the same goal now. _"Can I see her?" he whispered.

"Of course, Adrien." Gabriel smiled tenderly. "The entrance to her chamber only admits one person at a time, so I will have to show you how to use it." He moved to his mother's portrait and beckoned to a stunned Adrien, who paused for a beat before racing over to his father. Gabriel placed Adrien's fingers over certain parts of the portrait. "Just press here and the elevator will take you there. I'll be right behind you."

"Elevator?" gaped Adrien before pressing the buttons. The floor opened up beneath him, and he descended into darkness.

* * *

Adrien stepped off the platform when it stopped moving. He heard a whirring behind him, and less than a minute later, his father joined him. Gabriel put his hand on Adrien's shoulder and guided him to a panel, where he flipped four light switches, illuminating the chamber. Adrien's eyes scanned the room. He held out a finger, and a small white butterfly landed on it. He watched in awe as the butterfly sat there, then flitted away after a few seconds.

"Bye bye, little butterfly…" he whispered under his breath.

"Come, Adrien." Gabriel strode across the bridge to where Emilie's sarcophagus was. Adrien tentatively followed, his footsteps on the metal bridge echoing throughout the room. When he reached the sarcophagus, he gasped and felt his eyes fill with tears once more. He put his hand on the glass, then looked over to his father, who smiled and nodded sadly.

"Mother…" Adrien choked out. He staggered away from the sarcophagus, tears clouding his vision. "All this time… she was right here. And _you_…" he hammered his fist ineffectively on Gabriel's chest. "You were _keeping her_ from me! So many _secrets_… Mother… the Miraculous… Hawk Moth…" Each point was punctuated with another blow to Gabriel's chest. "I _do_ have someone that I love like that… but I could never hurt people like you did. I understand what you did, Father. But I don't think I could ever forgive you."

Gabriel pulled Adrien closer to him and held him tight, his own tears racking his body. "I'm sorry, son. I never meant to lose you, too."


	34. Foundations

After returning from his mother's chamber, Adrien was guided back to his room by a very concerned Ladybug. As she listened to Adrien mumble through the evening's events, she set him up in his bed and made sure he was comfortable. Adrien's eyes grew heavy and Ladybug turned to go. "Wait... Ladybug? Before I forget… Kagami wanted to meet with you. Please, take her number." With a promise to visit her first thing in the morning, Ladybug left Adrien to rest.

He spent the night in a fitful sleep. The next morning, Adrien woke up, showered, and got dressed in one of the outfits he picked up at the vintage clothing store. He went downstairs for breakfast and was surprised to see his father and Mrs. Tsurugi already sitting at the table. "Hello, Adrien," Gabriel said by way of greeting. "I was just finishing up an early business meeting with Tomoe."

"Hello, Mrs. Tsurugi," Adrien said, forcing his most polite smile on his face. "It's good to see you again." _If what I heard is true, the last time we met you were Stinging me in the side… but let's not bring that up just yet._

"Hello, Adrien, likewise," Mrs. Tsurugi returned. "Gabriel, I should be going. Thank you for accommodating me at an early hour on short notice. I believe that we should be fine moving forward with this proposal; I just wanted to make sure that we were on the same page regarding how you wanted to approach the market."

"You know you have my absolute trust in this matter. Thank you for considering me, however, you should not feel obligated to do so going forward." He inclined his head, and the family bodyguard led Mrs. Tsurugi to the front door where her driver was waiting.

"Take me home, quickly, please. We have a deadline to meet."

* * *

Marinette and Tikki were enjoying a pain au chocolat that the Agreste chef had left on a tray outside her door. _Not as good as Mom and Dad's, but breakfast is breakfast. I have a feeling today's going to be a very busy day._ She pulled out her flip phone and noted the number Adrien had sent her last night. Composing a new message, she sent

**[Ladybug] Adrien Agreste tells me you want to meet up. Name the time and place. /(%)\**

**[Kagami] If this is who I think it is, then yes. Ten minutes at the Arc de Triomphe. See you there.**

_Okay then,_ Marinette thought. _She hasn't changed a bit! Direct and to the point as always._ She got dressed in a pink t-shirt and blue jeans, then called for her transformation and headed out to the Arc de Triomphe.

Trying to remain discreet while wearing the costume of one of Paris' beloved superheroes was a hard task for Ladybug that morning. After waving to what felt like the thousandth admirer, she noticed a girl in a baseball cap, dark sunglasses, a black hoodie, and dark jeans beckoning to her. Ladybug swooped down and landed next to her.

"Sorry for picking such a public place, Ladybug," Kagami said. "Usually the landmarks aren't this busy. Let's find a place where we can talk uninterrupted." She grabbed Ladybug's hand and pulled her off toward a secluded alleyway. Kagami led Ladybug through a maze of winding passages for the next five minutes and then finally stopped. Catching her breath, she said, "Sorry. I can't risk being followed. It was already too much being seen with you."

Ladybug bent over to catch her breath. "I think we're good now. What do you want?"

"I have information for you. I know who Serket and Le Faisan are."

"How did you find that out?"

"You'll know, once I tell you. Serket is… my mother. Le Faisan is her houseguest, a man by the name of Chou."

Ladybug winced as if she had been slapped. _He ate dinner at my house! He's been at my bakery daily for the past couple of weeks! And… he just *burned it down* like it was nothing… like it didn't matter to him!_

"Ladybug, are you okay?" Kagami asked, reaching out toward the superhero. "You look like you could rip someone's head off with your bare hands."

"Huh? Sorry. No. I'm OK. I mean, I'm not OK. But thank you. For the information, and for asking if I'm OK. How are you doing? Are you safe?"

"Don't worry about me, Ladybug… I can take care of myself. I don't know why Mother and her friend are doing what they're doing… but I know you can stop them. Good luck, Ladybug." She remained where she was and fixed Ladybug with a glare.

Ladybug stared back and asked, "Is there something else, Kagami?"

"There is, actually; this is more personal than professional. Adrien and I have been becoming better friends over the past couple of weeks. I don't know what your relationship is with him, but look… he's a good friend of mine. I don't want to see him get hurt."

Ladybug gave Kagami a confused look, but said nothing. _What is this about? Did he tell her that he was Aspik? I can't see him doing that… but if he did, that's breaking all sorts of secret identity rules! He should know better!_

Kagami continued, "So when he told me that he was still interested in you, even though you broke his heart once… I was kind of mad at you. I may have told him that I would hit you if you broke his heart again." She grinned wickedly.

"Wait, hold up!" Ladybug interjected. "_Me,_ break _Adrien's_ heart? When on Earth did I do _that_?" _I'll leave the "hitting me" part out of it for now._

"Apparently right before we went to the ice rink. He asked me out, _completely_ out of the blue, but when we got there he only had eyes for one girl. But _she_ was skating with a completely different boy. I honestly thought Adrien was interested in that girl - _Marinette_ \- and even told her that she needed to lock down Adrien before I did. Then later on he confesses that it wasn't _her_, but _you_ that had broken his heart! I swear, that boy's life is confusing. But anyway… if you're going to go after him, great. He mentioned something about a breakthrough with you two days ago, and I couldn't be happier for him. But so help me, if you mess with him again, I will smack him for being stupid with his heart, and I will smack _you_ for toying with my friend's feelings." She turned on her heel and marched away, leaving Ladybug standing there, mouth agape.

* * *

"We have to act quickly, Chou! I felt the presence of more Miraculous at the Agreste mansion! I tell you, the Guardian is there!"

"Now, now," Chou said in an attempt to pacify Serket, "You have already been there, and you retrieved a Miraculous - a broken one, at that. We still have yet to find the woman from Fu's funeral; let us not waste our time revisiting places you have already been!"

"You don't know! You weren't there! It was a strong feeling - as if multiple Miraculous were still in that house. I tell you - my senses have been heightened to levels they have never been before!"

Chou whirled on Serket and jabbed a finger at her. "You also told me to search the bakery - my friends' bakery! I destroyed it on your word, even though you were unable to find any Miraculous there! Every place you have told me to search we have come away with nothing! If you want me to act quickly, then you must give me reliable information!"

Serket paced the drawing room floor. After a moment, she swung her _was_-sceptre wide, smashing photos and artifacts. Chou reached forward and caught the sceptre, preventing Serket from destroying more of the Tsurugi house.

"Fine… if you want it to be this way, then so be it! But neither of us have much time at this point, and I would prefer we finish chasing down our current leads before they slip through our fingers. No - don't argue - you wouldn't be able to do this without my help, and you forget who is in charge here! We will pursue the woman today, and if we do not find her, then we will search the Agreste mansion tomorrow. Now - what have we learned about the woman so far?"

* * *

Ladybug stood there for a couple of minutes after Kagami left, processing what she said. _Me, break *Adrien's* heart? But that's impossible! All the times I've been near Adrien as Ladybug… I can't think of anything that would have broken his heart! And right before he and Kagami went to the ice rink… that was the Frozer incident and the less said about that, the better. Besides, he asked *me* about advice asking out a girl then… and that wasn't even Ladybug-me, that was Marinette-me! I honestly have no idea what Kagami could have been talking about… and I honestly have no idea how to get out of here, either. Good thing I can just go up…_ she took out her yo-yo and swung to the top of the nearest roof. She got her bearings from the Eiffel Tower, and swung off in what she knew was the direction of her house. _I've gotta make a stop before anything else happens._

She landed on a building and surveyed the nearby burned-out husk of the Dupain-Cheng Boulangerie Patisserie. _This will never happen again - not on my watch._ She swung over to the vacant-for-the-summer Collège Françoise Dupont and entered a disused custodial closet. Moving mops and buckets of chemicals aside, she located the gramophone she had stashed there the other day.

She opened the gramophone to reveal the Miracle Box, and carefully looked over the Miraculous that were contained within. _Let's see… I'll need the Snake for sure… the Turtle so Wayzz can help, and… yes, this one will do nicely._ She put the Turtle Miraculous on her wrist and the other two Miraculous in her yo-yo, along with two small rune-covered boxes. She replaced the Miracle Box in the gramophone and re-concealed it amongst the custodial supplies. She exited the closet and yo-yo'ed her way to the Agreste mansion.

* * *

Adrien was practicing his fencing when his phone buzzed.

**[Ladybug] Are you around? I need to drop something off for you.**

**[Adrien] Sure. Swing by whenever, I'll be here**

He picked his foil back up and resumed targeting a dodging Plagg. "I'll get you yet, Plagg!" Plagg darted down low and under Adrien's desk right before a light _thump_ was heard at the window. Adrien walked over and let Ladybug in. "Productive morning so far?" he asked as she alighted in his room.

"You could say that," she answered. "I have something for you. Hang on," She turned her back to Adrien and fiddled with her yo-yo and something on her wrist, then turned around and grinned. "Ready to be a hero again? Chat Noir and I are going to draw Serket out, and _you're_ going to be our secret weapon." She extended a runed box to Adrien.

"Secret weapon, huh?" Adrien chuckled. _If only she knew… but maybe she does! There's no telling if she's opened that envelope yet, and maybe she's just seeing how I'll react. Better play it cool just in case, since I haven't opened my envelope yet._ "What's that other runed box for?"

"Oh, this? This one is for me. I figured if we're going to have a Miraculous opening party, I shouldn't be left out." She opened the other runed box, revealing the Turtle Miraculous. Wayzz materialized out of a ball of orange light.

"Greetings, Guardian. How may I be of service?"

Ladybug put the Turtle Miraculous on her wrist. "Wayzz, I'm going to need you to be watchful and feel for Miraculous energy. You knew when Serket initially activated her Miraculous; now with another Miraculous holder on the loose, we're going to need all the warning we can get. This is where you come in."

"I see, Guardian. And… him?" The kwami gestured toward Adrien.

"Wayzz, meet our new partner: Aspik. When Chat Noir was out of commission, Adrien stepped up and got us close to defeating Serket. We're going to need him again… and with the three of us together… and with a few other surprises up our sleeves… we are going to be unstoppable!"

"I… see. Of course, Guardian." Wayzz's face gave nothing away, but the hesitance in his voice made Ladybug take notice.

"Don't worry, Wayzz… even if it doesn't work, we've got to stay optimistic. We'll get Serket and Le Faisan. Now, before I forget: Adrien Agreste. This is the Miraculous of the Snake. You will use it for the greater good… that is, if you want to."

Adrien reached out tentatively and took the box, biting his lip. "Ladybug… I'm honored that you would choose me again."

"You still want to, right? I mean, I know Viperion turned me down but you and I were really successful together, and I wouldn't want you to miss this opportunity. I'll understand if you say no, just tell me now so I can go find someone else to do this."

"Relax!" Adrien opened the box before taking the bangle and clipping it on his left wrist. "Of course I'm willing to help you, Ladybug. You can count on me." He shot her what he hoped was a winning smile and gave a thumbs-up.

"Oh, thank goodness! After what Kagami said this morning, I thought things would be really weird between us and I don't think I could handle that right now, you've been so nice to me and accommodating and I'd hate to think I was taking advantage of you being such a nice person, and -"

"Whoa! Hold up, Ladybug! You're getting… ramble-y. Take a deep breath and back up a bit. What did Kagami say this morning?"

Ladybug pinked and looked at the ground for a few moments. When she looked up, she said simply, "She confirmed who Serket and Le Faisan were."

"...And?" Adrien prompted. "I can't see you getting bent out of shape over that - I mean, I thought that was old news. Right?"

"It was, yes."

"So… what's the big deal?"

"That's not all she told me. She told me that you, um, _liked_ me. And that somewhere along the way, I broke your heart pretty bad. I have no idea how that happened, but, Adrien, I'm _sorry_. I honestly didn't mean to. Can you forgive me?" She looked at him, eyes wide and with a hint of tears in them, and bit her lip.

Adrien met Ladybug's gaze. He stepped forward and took her hands, green eyes searching blue. "I do, Ladybug. I'll always be yours, if you'll have me." _And me being Chat Noir, which I'm guessing you still don't know yet, is the big *if* in that sentence. What I wouldn't do to kiss her right now! But… if she doesn't want Chat, I don't want to make it feel like I'm tricking her. I'll be patient… but I hope she doesn't make me wait too long._

A smile flickered across Ladybug's face. "I… I need to go. There's more to do if we want to get ready for Serket and Le Faisan. Thanks for being willing to help out. Stay close." Without another word, she leaped out the window and swung over the the guest room, Wayzz following close behind.


	35. Revelations

Ladybug entered the guest suite via the bathroom window and de-transformed. "Tikki, what on _Earth_ could Kagami have been talking about? _Me_, break _Adrien's_ heart? As _Ladybug_? Do you have any idea what she meant by that?"

The red kwami floated in the air, thoughtfully munching a cookie. She opened her mouth to say something, then stopped. She took another bite, hummed, and swallowed. "Marinette, I can safely say that Ladybug has never broken Adrien Agreste's heart." She stuffed more cookie into her mouth in an effort to not have to speak again.

Marinette began pacing the wide space between the bed and the bedroom window. "OK, fine, you were always more observant than me at things like that, anyway. I've always been too blinded by Adrien to really notice how I behaved around him other than babbling with or without the mask! Ladybug's not a heartbreaker, anyway…unless you count _Chat_, that is. She doesn't have time for romance because Paris needs to be saved, and her alter ego was too boy-crazy to entertain any ideas to the contrary."

Tikki quickly grabbed another cookie and took a bite, shrugging her shoulders.

"But then… Kagami said Ladybug broke Adrien's heart right before Frozer. But Adrien had asked Kagami to the ice rink around that time, anyway! And he came to me, Marinette, for advice on how to ask _her_ out! The _nerve_ of that boy! All in all, it did help me get started with Luka… but… you know what, let's not think about that. Adrien has both himself to thank and himself to blame for me seeing Luka. Not that I had a bad time with Luka, or anything. We just couldn't share everything with each other. And by 'everything', I mean _Ladybug_." Marinette took a large breath. "It's funny… I've been here not even two days, and already I'm closer to Adrien as Ladybug than I have been to anyone else! If there were anyone I could share my secret with, I'm confident it would be him. But as Marinette, I still get nervous and buh-buh-buh around him, even though he has obviously started to see me as a closer friend! I mean, that fashion show at my house… was that only four days ago?

"I'm pretty sure I've never broken Adrien's heart as _Marinette_… and if Kagami knew that Marinette is Ladybug, then the conversation this morning would have taken a completely different turn! And she was there _yesterday_ after the bakery burned down, with Adrien! She would have said something then, I'm sure. And speaking of Adrien at the bakery, he took me in, no questions asked. I'm really not sure what to make of _that_." Marinette nervously twirled one of her pigtails.

Tikki swallowed her cookie and frantically searched for another one. When Marinette looked at her, she mimed having her mouth full and made an mmm sound, rubbing her belly.

"So if _Marinette_ didn't break Adrien's heart, and Ladybug didn't break _Adrien's_ heart, then it stands to… reason… that…" Marinette trailed off as a previously-stuck door in her mind burst open, spilling forth a tidal wave of thoughts and memories that had been waiting behind it, eager to escape.

_"You'll see me without my mask, and you wouldn't be able to resist me."_

_"Black and green are definitely my colors."_

_"I had this special surprise all planned for Ladybug… but she never showed."_

_"He acts a certain way with you because he has an idea of what superheroes are supposed to be like."_

_"He instinctively took to the powers, almost as if he had used a Miraculous before."_

_"I can't tell you why you can't store the Miracle Box at Chat's house."_

_"You destroyed Paris repeatedly and almost killed your son in the process!"_

_"He loves you desperately - almost sickeningly so, in my opinion."_

_"He told me that his cat was sick!"_

_"I usually pass the Agreste mansion on my regular route."_

_"Just… think about it, OK, my Lady? It seems like there's an innocent life we could help save."_

The room swam in Marinette's vision. She put one hand out to steady herself against the bed, and another hand slowly covered her mouth. Her breath came in short gasps, and her knees buckled. "Tikki," she whispered. "It's… him, isn't it?"

* * *

"You should open that envelope," Sass said, hovering over Adrien's left shoulder.

"Don't open the envelope, kid! She wouldn't do that for you, and you owe her the same courtesy," Plagg countered, sitting on Adrien's right shoulder.

"But she told you that you can figure out who she is."

"You weren't _there_, how do you even know about that? Kid, I'm telling you… it's a bad idea to open that envelope."

Adrien sat at his desk, pink envelope grasped firmly between his two hands. _How did Ladybug even stand being around all the kwamis like this? The constant bickering would have driven me mad!_ "Enough!" he near-shouted. "Plagg, Sass, I appreciate your opinions. You're right: she told me I could _figure out_ who she is. This envelope… it's like cheating. My Lady wouldn't cheat, and I'm not going to cheat her." He walked over to his bed and flopped down. "Still… you two know who she is, right?"

"Yes, but we're not going to tell you," Plagg insisted.

"It's not cheating if you figure it out by reading what's in the envelope..." Sass teasingly sang, then floated over to the desk and started playing with Adrien's computer mouse.

"Go on, kid… talk it out. You'll get there eventually." _And not a moment too soon! I'm not in any sort of mood to play Cupid… but at least it beats playing stupid._

"Right. OK. So. Ladybug. Well let's see… what do I know about her? She's brave, smart, honest, helpful… just, fair, clever… beautiful… and she's in love with me? She told me… well, Chat-me… that she was crushing on Adrien! So… someone who's in love with Adrien. But that could be more than a few people, right?"

"Hey, just because everybody sees your face everywhere doesn't mean they're happy about it, kid. Use process of elimination. Who do you know that's in love with you?"

"Well, there's Lila, and Chloe… eww. Thankfully, I know that Ladybug is neither of them. That makes things a lot easier."

"Is there anyone else?"

Adrien fixed his kwami with a blank stare.

"You know, that bit Kagami had about smacking you seems about right," Plagg muttered. He floated up to Adrien and hovered directly in front of his face. "Alright, look. Kid, I tell you, you've got all the pieces put together, you just need to flip over the puzzle and look at the picture. Who's Ladybug?"

"She's my partner…"

"Who's Ladybug, Adrien?"

"The girl of my dreams…"

"_Adrien._" Plagg's voice was firm. "Who's. Ladybug?"

"She's lucky…"

The word lucky was the key that unlocked the door in Adrien's mind. His eyes opened wide and his jaw slackened as he finally allowed himself to look at the complete picture.

_"She's lucky."_

_"I've got a secret. This is why I win. I'm lucky."_

_"Wow! We won again… thanks to you."_

_"That girl has a crush on you so hard it's almost unhealthy."_

_"Well, Mr. Model… I do appreciate the opportunity for a private show… that outfit *suits* you."_

_"You're always helping people… you're our everyday Ladybug."_

_"She's lucky."_

_"I really love that family…"_

_"She's lucky."_

"Oh my gosh, Plagg, it's really her?" He sat bolt upright and bounced in place, nerves tingling with energy. "It's really her!"

* * *

"Tikki?" Marinette said weakly. "How can Adrien be… Chat? How can Chat be Adrien? Oh crap, Tikki! When Adrien was telling me how Chat felt about Ladybug, he was talking about _himself_!"

"Breathe, Marinette… remember when you were talking with your mother? How did she describe your father when she first met him?"

"Let's see… when he wasn't in his element, he was very shy… almost like he was one person in certain situations and another person in other situations. She had to know which one was the real Tom Dupain before she gave her heart to him. Tikki… which one is the real Adrien?"

"Which one was the real Tom?"

"They _both_ were, Tikki. Dad told me that even though he came off as too showy and over the top, Mom still appreciated him… so he felt comfortable opening up and trusting her with his sensitive side."

"And… do you appreciate Adrien when he's in Chat Noir mode?"

Marinette immediately answered. "_Yes_ \- even the dorkiness and the puns. I couldn't ask for a better partner."

"And his sensitive side?"

"Yes, that too… although…" Marinette picked herself off the floor, then looked at Tikki with a mischievous glint in her eye and said, "If that cat thinks he's going to get away with saying that _I_ broke _his_ heart… he's going to have to think again! _Spots on!_" She leaped out the bathroom window and swung over to Adrien's bedroom window.

* * *

Adrien shot off of his bed and charged out of his room. He pushed his way past his bodyguard and ran to the door of the guest suite. He jiggled the handle, only to discover that the door was locked. _If I were Chat, I could Cataclysm the door open. No, wait, that wouldn't work… too much explaining to do afterwards. Plagg could Cataclysm the door open, but knowing him, he'd probably knock down the entire mansion. I'd better not risk it._ He spun around and ran back to his room.

* * *

"Adrien!" Ladybug yelled, sticking her head in Adrien's room. "Where are you?" She scanned his room and, finding nothing or nobody, shook her head and swung back to her room. She heard a commotion at her suite door and ran to it. She opened it and saw nothing. _Maybe that was Adrien!_ She took off running toward his room.

* * *

Adrien arrived back in his room to see the bedroom window open. _She must have swung by here!_ "Plagg, CLAWS OUT!" he yelled, and in a green flash, Chat Noir hurtled himself out the window toward the bathroom window of the guest suite.

* * *

Ladybug arrived in Adrien's bedroom to see Chat Noir leap from the window._ Well, if I needed any more confirmation…_ She sprinted to the window and flung herself out of it. She yo-yo'ed her way to her bedroom window and made a desperate grab for Chat's tail as it disappeared inside.

"_Oof!_" Chat Noir's leap into the guest bathroom was suddenly stopped, and he landed with a thud in the large bathtub.

"Hey, Kitty," Ladybug said, eyes twinkling as she twirled his tail in his signature fashion. "Let's… _Chat_."

Chat Noir looked up at her and smiled. "I can't wait, my Lady."

* * *

Adrien and Marinette sat on Adrien's couch, eating cookies. Tikki, Plagg, Wayzz, and Sass had asked Adrien to move the foosball table away from the rock wall, and they were enjoying a game while the teenagers talked.

Marinette sighed, "I have so many questions… but at the same time, _so much_ makes sense now."

"Ask away, my Lady…, uh, Marinette."

"You practically _told_ me you were Chat Noir when you came over to my house the other day. Black and green being your colors? _Paws_ button? _Subtle_, Kitty." She poked him in the chest and rolled her eyes.

"I was feeling pretty reckless that day. Master Fu had just died and I couldn't go to his funeral as Chat… plus, finding out Father was Hawk Moth… I wasn't in the best place, mentally. It's not that I didn't _care_ who found out that I was Chat… it's that I didn't mind if _you_ did."

"Yeah, but _why me_? You barely noticed me for _how long_, now? Suddenly you wanted to spill your secret identity to me?"

"I told you… you're Ladybug, with or without the mask. I felt… comfortable telling you. It felt… _natural_, almost like I was supposed to."

"OK, I can accept that, I guess. Still, it's _not_ the smartest thing you've ever done." A smile danced at the edges of her lips.

"Wait, wait, wait… my turn. Speaking of not the smartest thing you've ever done, what was _up_ with _jumping out the glass door of a burning building without being transformed?_ You had to have heard Kagami when you were over here as Ladybug… so why not stay Ladybug for that?" He looked at Marinette's elbow and winced.

"You're right, that was pretty dumb. Tikki gave me the third degree about that, actually -"

"Good thing your burns weren't third degree…" he interjected.

"_Really_?" Marinette shook her head and threw a chocolate chip at Adrien. "_Anyway_… I panicked. You didn't know that Marinette's parents were out of town. If Ladybug was on the scene first giving the all-clear, you might start asking questions and make the connection that Marinette and Ladybug were going through too similar of a life situation. I didn't want to jeopardize my secret identity… and strangely enough, that was the catalyst for where we are now." She shrugged and smiled.

"Do you regret us knowing?" Adrien asked delicately.

"Adrien, the important part right now is that we stay in balance. We found out at the same time. How did you figure it out? Was it the envelope I gave you?"

"No, actually… I haven't opened the envelope! Even though Sass really wanted me to," he looked over at the kwami.

"Yeah, Sass tried his hardest to get me to see you for who you really were. He succeeded in some ways, too. Glad to see he's not playing favorites," she grinned. "Sorry, continue." She waved her hand.

"Oh! Right. Well… I think the most obvious part of it was that you told me that you had a crush on me. I thought of all the people Ladybug acts flustered around, and that's a pretty short list. But what really sealed the deal was… I just couldn't not see you for you. Remember at the Heroes' Day picnic? I called you_ everyday Ladybug_… little did I know how close to the truth I was. And," he wiggled his eyebrows in a very Chat-like manner, "you _kissed me_ after I said that!"

Marinette began to flush. "Yeah, well, it's not like you_ did anything_ after that, Kitty… you told me that you would follow Ladybug to the moon without a space suit… but what I wouldn't have given for you to notice me as more than _just a friend_. And speaking of… _who_ broke _whose_ heart, now?"

"Uh-uh-uh… It's my turn to ask a question." Adrien had the good sense to look abashed, nevertheless. "So when Serket first showed up, you called for Chat Noir because you knew that Ladybug wasn't going to show up, not because your mind instinctively went to me?" The hope in his voice was a balloon he knew was about to get punctured.

"Exactly. Sorry, Kitty - your dreams of Marinette crushing on you are, well… crushed." She smiled tenderly, then laughed. "Oh, who am I kidding…"

"Ah, yes… I told you on a couple of occasions that if you saw me without my mask, you wouldn't be able to resist me. Was I right?"

Marinette turned a deep crimson. "You can't ask two questions in a row, either," she mumbled. "OK! So… who broke whose heart, again?"

"I thought you did, my Lady… remember the balcony surprise I made for you? Where you didn't show up?"

"Oh, right, _that_ one… the one where _Ladybug_ didn't show up because Marinette was waiting for _Adrien_ to join everyone at André's. And I thought it was because your dad wouldn't let you out of the house!" She jabbed her finger in his direction. "I felt bad for you and pushed my feelings aside for you even though I was _heartbroken_ that you didn't show up. Did you know I was so upset that André wound up getting akumatized? I lashed out at him over _nothing_… and then _you_ had the nerve to get snotty with me when we were fighting him!"

Adrien backed up slightly on the couch to escape Marinette's ire. "I'm sorry," he pleaded. "I had no idea. If things were different…"

She put her hand up and smiled tenderly. "If things were different, you never would have poured out your heart to Marinette on that balcony… that's how I found out that Chat Noir was sincere about Ladybug, you know."

"Oh my _gosh_, you're right! I _told you_ I was in love with _you_! If that's not super-cringey, I don't know what is."

"It was actually very sweet, Kitty. If you hadn't said that, I would probably still think you were a - how did you put it? - a _cartoon character_ one hundred percent of the time. But, getting back to that night, if things were different, you would have found out that my André's flavor was 'peach pink like his lips and mint like his eyes'..."

"Really? I would think that lime would go much better with peach than mint would. Did you know I went to André's the next day?"

"Are you kidding me? So did I; we must have just missed each other. What was your flavor?"

"Strawberry with black chocolate chips. 'Blackberries for her hair, and blueberry ice cream just like her sky-blue stare!'"

"See, you at least got all berries." She paused for a beat. "Wait a minute… you got _Ladybug_-themed ice cream?"

"I'm kind of glad that nobody else was around to see that. I'm not sure Nino ever would have let me live that down. And… sorry again. I guess I had too much Ladybug on my mind to ever really notice you, Marinette. Even though I clearly saw you as someone on the same level as Ladybug… she just got my heart first. And no matter how many times you rejected me as Chat, I still carried that torch for you." He looked away and blinked rapidly. "I've never had friends before. Then all in one day, I got an amazing friend and an equally amazing partner… and super-powers." He chuckled bitterly. "I got everything I ever wanted that day: freedom, someone to share everything with, and someone to actually give me a gift that came from their heart instead of from a secretary. Who would have thought I'd be lucky enough that all of this would come from the same person?"

Marinette scooted forward to close the gap between herself and Adrien and reached out to hold his face in her hands, wiping his tears with her thumbs. "Kitty… _Adrien_… what are you talking about? I didn't give you any of that."

"Ladybug gave me the freedom to be Chat Noir. I told you… without Ladybug, there would be no Chat Noir. Marinette gave me the opportunity to be friends with someone because of who I am, not for what I look like or what I do."

"...And the gift?" Marinette whispered.

"You gave me a second chance. You didn't have to be my friend after that first day of school, especially with how everything went down. But you chose to be my friend. And that has made all the difference in the world. In _my_ world." He looked at her, passion burning in his eyes.

"Oh, Kitty… _you_ gave _me_ a second chance, too. Did you know I almost quit being Ladybug after the first battle? I didn't feel like I was any good… but you lifted me up. And you lifted me up again and again when I thought I couldn't do it. You're just as good as me at giving second chances. Probably better, since you keep doing it."

"You kept giving Adrien second chances to notice you, though… but I'd say that won't be necessary anymore. And I'll always be there to pick you up, my Lady."

Marinette dipped her head for a moment, then slowly looked up before saying in a quiet voice, "I think you need to give me one more chance, Adrien. Can you do that for me?"

Adrien took her hand in his. "Anything."

"I constantly rejected you for your secret identity, and neither side of you knew that. Granted, Chat wasn't my type to start with… but you've definitely grown on me, Kitty." She reached down to flick his bell, only to quickly drop her hand to her lap when she realized he wasn't in costume.

"I should ask you for the same mercy, Marinette. I didn't see you for who you were because I was busy, um, looking at you for who you are. Do you forgive me?"

Marinette leaned forward and tenderly kissed Adrien on the cheek. "Of course I do, Adrien."

Adrien smiled and stroked Marinette's face. "Speaking of second chances… your kiss was off-target by a bit."

Marinette smiled impishly. "Oh, was it now?"

"Yeah… let me show you."

He did.


	36. Redemptions

Wayzz floated over to where Marinette and Adrien were entangled on the couch. He cleared his throat softly and Marinette gave him a slightly rumpled, lip-swollen smile.

"I'm sorry to, um, disturb you, Guardian. Two Miraculous have been activated."

Marinette pushed herself off of Adrien, who groaned. "It must be Serket and Le Faisan. What do you think, Kitty - should we go after them?"

"Only if afterwards we get to pick up where we left off," Adrien grinned.

Marinette rolled her eyes and giggled. Sass floated over and said, "I think I like him more than I like you. He's fun." He quickly darted out of the way of a cookie that Marinette launched in his direction.

"Don't make me regret getting you out, Sass..." Marinette teased. "Tikki, _Spots on!_"

Adrien looked at the bangle on his left wrist and the ring on his right hand. "Who do we need? Chat or Aspik?"

"That's a good question, Kitty. Let's go with Chat to see who we're up against."

"At your service, Bug. Plagg, _claws out!"_

"Ladybug, if I may…" Wayzz spoke up. "I've just sensed the Miraculous deactivate. Unless you know specifically where these people are, it may take too long to find them. Do you have any way of tracking them?"

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other. "Actually, we do," Ladybug said. She opened her yo-yo and pulled a flip phone out.

**[Ladybug] Can we meet? /(%)\**

**[Kagami]** **Sure. 10 minutes at the Haxo Métro station.**

**[Ladybug] See you there. I'll have company. =^.^=**

**[Kagami] Understood.**

"Let's go, Kitty. Time to recruit some help."

"Sure thing, Bug. But first…" he leaned in for a kiss.

Ladybug pushed him away by the nose, then laughed. "Sorry… habit." She met his lips with hers, then jumped out the window. "Race you!"

Chat Noir stood there and watched Ladybug swing from rooftop to rooftop.

Sass floated up behind Chat. "I daresay, Adrien, she would make an ideal mate for you if the occasion arose." He darted into an open pocket on Chat's suit.

"Not if she doesn't kill me first, Sass," Chat sighed. He leaped out the window, vaulted to a rooftop, and took off after Ladybug.

* * *

The heroes landed at the Porte des Lilas station and followed the abandoned rail line to Haxo.

"_La voie des Fêtes_," Chat commented. "This sure doesn't feel like we're going to a party."

"Ladybug? Chat Noir?" Kagami's voice called out from a bench in the station. "Over here. What can I help you with?"

"We need information," Ladybug stated. "You're the only one who can tell us what's on Serket's mind. This is dangerous, but I wouldn't ask you if it weren't the only option. Can we count on you?"

Kagami's eyes narrowed. "You're right, this _is_ dangerous. Are you sure you're not just asking me as revenge for telling you about Adrien?" Chat coughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

Ladybug said with urgency, "Kagami, you've already told us invaluable information about Serket. We need to stop her and Le Faisan, and we can't let them do any more harm to Paris. Please…we need your help. Do you have a cover story that will explain your being out of the house for the past day?"

"Yes, I can explain my absence easily enough. So what exactly do you need?"

"Just your ears for now, please. Call me if you get wind of what their plans are. And…" she lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Thanks. For this morning." Ladybug looked at her partner and noticed his costume ear twitch even though he was facing away from the girls. "I look forward to hearing from you."

* * *

Later in the day, Kagami stole back in her house. She crept past some shattered pottery and past the drawing room door, where she slowed to listen. Hearing nothing, she went to the kitchen, where Mr. Chou was at the table enjoying a bowl of sliced peaches.

"Kagami!" he said. "Always a pleasure to see you. Please, have a seat. Would you like some peaches? They're good for the soul."

Kagami sat down across from the old man. "No thank you, Mr. Chou. How are you finding Paris?"

"Paris has treated me well. Your mother's hospitality has been exemplary. I have seen many wonderful sights and been welcomed into the local community better than I ever could have expected."

"I'm glad to hear it. How much longer do you expect to stay?"

"Not much longer, I'm afraid. I only ever intended to visit your city for some business, and it appears that business is coming to a close tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Well, it will be a shame to see you go. If you'll excuse me," Kagami stood up and quickly walked to her room. She opened the door and flipped the light switch on, but the room remained dark. _That's odd… the bulb must have blown._ She walked toward her desk to turn the lamp on. Suddenly, her bedroom door slammed behind her, and she felt a sharp pain in her side, causing her to collapse on the ground!

"Are you loyal to this family?" The woman's voice that Kagami heard was acid. Kagami clutched her side and writhed in pain.

* * *

Marinette and Adrien were back in Adrien's room. Marinette was pacing the floor behind the couch. "I'm not sure that asking Kagami to put herself in the line of fire was the _best_ option… but I think it might have been the _only_ option. I'm worried about her, Kitty."

"I am, too… I was transformed and the Sting still hurt pretty badly. She's a tough girl, but tough doesn't matter against that sort of magic." He unconsciously rubbed his side where Serket had Stung him.

Marinette stopped pacing and slammed her fists to her sides. "Ugh! _Why_ does being Guardian have to be so difficult!"

Adrien leapt off of the couch and took Marinette by the upper arms. He faced her and said, "If it were easy, anybody could do it. You're the Guardian because you're a special person. You're a natural leader. And leaders have to make hard decisions sometimes. But the good news is…" he kissed her on the cheek. "You have…" he kissed her on the other cheek. "All the support you could ask for right here. OK?" He kissed her on the forehead.

She leaned into Adrien. "Thanks, Kitty. I appreciate it." She nestled in closer, kissed him on the jaw, and sighed contentedly.

* * *

Tomoe Tsurugi stood over Kagami, fencing foil in hand. "Where have you been?"

"I was out with friends," Kagami wheezed, rubbing her side.

"Lies! Give me your phone." She bent down and reached into Kagami's pocket, extracting her phone. She whistled loudly. "Unlock it. Now."

"Yes, Mother." Kagami took the phone and entered her password.

Mr. Chou opened the door. "Yes, Tomoe?"

"Tell me who Kagami has been calling." She took the phone from Kagami and handed it to Mr. Chou.

He scanned the recent calls. "Nobody much, unfortunately."

"Check the text messages!" Tomoe said impatiently.

Mr. Chou swiped through the text messages. "Adrien Agreste, mostly. A couple of text messages where it's not clear who she was talking to, but there appears to have been a couple of secret meetings."

Tomoe traced her daughter's side with the tip of the foil. "Who were you meeting with?" she hissed.

"I told you, a friend." Kagami's face was set firmly in defiance.

"Lies!" She brought the foil down as a metal whip. "Who were you meeting with?!"

Kagami screamed. After a pause, she whispered, "I met with Adrien's girlfriend."

"Why are you so obsessed with Adrien Agreste?" Tomoe spat.

"Because you told me to make friends with him! All I've done this summer is do what you've asked. I've been your sparring partner! I've made friends with Adrien - and actually enjoyed it! What more could you ask of me?"

Tomoe laughed. "There's one more thing, now that you mention it. I suspect that there's something very important at the Agreste mansion, and you're going to help me get it! _Stinger up!_" A flash of yellow light later, and Serket stood in her place. She twirled the _was_-sceptre. "Take your phone and text your Agreste friend. We're coming to get him."

Mr. Chou handed the phone back to Kagami, who took it. Hands shaking, she sent a message.

**[Kagami] Serket inbound to your house. Call your friends. Be ready.**

* * *

Adrien and Marinette's impromptu cuddle session was interrupted by a buzz from Adrien's pocket. He took out his phone, read the notification, and gasped. He showed the message to Marinette, eyes wide. "We don't have time," Adrien said, his voice starting to rise. "We don't have time and here we are, and Serket is coming to get us. What's the plan, my Lady?"

Wayzz floated in. "Two Miraculous energies just activated."

"Thanks, Wayzz. We've got to hurry. Kitty, get Sass. I think we'll need him. We'll want to immobilize Serket and destroy her Miraculous. I know that Miraculous Ladybug fixes whatever Cataclysm does, so I'm not too worried about that. We'll have to figure out a way for you to quick-change or something so Aspik and Chat can both make an appearance for this. I have to run to my room and get a few things… and then it's a quick stop for reinforcements. Meet in your father's atelier - it's the most secure room in the mansion."

"Roger that, my Lady." He gave Marinette a kiss on the cheek and watched her run out of the room.

"Plagg? Sass? Which one of you wants to go first? I guess it's gotta be Sass since we need to immobilize Serket before taking her Miraculous. Sorry, buddy… why don't you stay close and we'll figure out what to do."

Plagg sighed and floated over to Adrien's desk. He leaned against the mouse, waking up Adrien's computer. The grimoire page about the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous was still on the screen. Plagg cleared his throat and moved his head to indicate Adrien should read the screen.

"What are you talking about? You know I don't know how to read that code, Plagg!"

"You were here when Ladybug was reading it, right? You were listening, right?" Plagg pressed.

"This is a kwami after my own heart," Sass said, hovering into view. "You should definitely try to remember what Ladybug said."

Adrien thought hard. _While any two Miraculous can be combined… _"Are you two saying that I can combine you two? What on earth would happen?"

"You should find out. Do him first," Sass instructed.

"OK, then, here goes nothing! Plagg, _claws out!"_ There was a green flash, and Chat Noir said "Sass, _let's slide!"_ One teal flash later and the now doubly-transformed Adrien admired what he saw in the nearby mirror.

Adrien marvelled as he looked himself up and down - he was covered in head-to-toe black, a hooded mask hiding his signature blonde hair. His formerly exaggerated black cat ears were now smaller, teal, and stuck directly out of his headgear. The mask that covered his face was teal snakeskin mimicking his Aspik visor and his chest, knees and forearms featured snake-like diamonds. The tip of his belt transformed into an intimidating rattlesnake tail. His trusty baton was still on his back and his left hand held Aspik's lyre. "Wow! This is incredible!"

* * *

Marinette ran to her room and ripped open the front pocket of her school bag. She opened a box of macarons and pulled out a small red one. Flipping it to Tikki, she said, "Tikki, _power up!_" Tikki devoured the macaron in one bite. The spot on her forehead glowed and was replaced by an orange flame, and small yellowish-orange wings sprouted from her back. When the transformation completed, Tikki announced herself as "Tikki Torch!"

"Tikki Torch, _spots on!"_ A pink flash later and a fiery Ladybug appeared. The red of her spotted costume was now a dark maroon with flamed orange boots and gloves. The mask around her eyes changed its smooth lines into sharp flamed edges. She looked down at her outfit approvingly, grabbed the other runed box from her bag, and placed something in it. "Now… one more stop!" Ladybug ran out the door and down the stairs into the mansion foyer.

* * *

Gabriel was working at his computer terminal when he saw Ladybug burst in. He walked over to her and smiled. "Ladybug. How can I help you? I assume you didn't come here for a professional opinion on your new costume design?"

Ladybug spoke with urgency. "I'll take a raincheck on that one, Mister Agreste. I'm here to offer you something - and I hope you'll take me up on it."

"Of course, Ladybug. What is it?"

Ladybug smiled broadly and held out her hand. "Gabriel Agreste. This is the Miraculous of the Butterfly, which grants the power of Transmission. You will use it for the greater good. After you are done, you will return the Miraculous to me. Can I count on you?"

Gabriel looked at Ladybug, mouth agape. The corners of his lips twitched rapidly as he fought back tears. His eyes darted back and forth, and he blinked rapidly to stem the rising tide of emotions. "Are… are you sure?"

"I can think of no other person more worthy to wield this Miraculous, Mister Agreste. You said you wanted me to let you know if there was anything you could do to redeem yourself. That time has come. Paris needs you," Ladybug said confidently.

Gabriel sniffed as he took the Miraculous box from Ladybug and opened it. A yellow ball of light spun out of the box and resolved itself into Nooroo, the Butterfly kwami. Nooroo looked between Ladybug and Gabriel and blinked. "L… Ladybug?" he stammered.

"Hello, Nooroo," Ladybug replied. "We need your help. Gabriel is going to help us save Paris."

"Master?" Nooroo said tentatively.

"Nooroo," Gabriel inclined his head in acknowledgement. "I'm sorry for everything I put you through. What I had you do and how I treated you was… inexcusable and cruel. I hurt a lot of people, and I destroyed your trust in me. Ladybug has offered me the opportunity to make part of that right. If… you're willing to do that?"

"I cannot say that I am too surprised. Ladybug is well-known among the kwamis for giving people second chances. If she trusts you, then I have no choice but to trust you. I may not like it, but in the spirit of Generosity, then I will give you the opportunity to atone for your previous errors."

Gabriel took the brooch and affixed it to his lapel. "Are you ready, Nooroo?" he asked.

"As ready as I can be, Master."

"Very well, Nooroo! Bright wings, _rise!"_ Nooroo was absorbed into the brooch and in a flash of purple light, Gabriel Agreste was transformed.

Ladybug regarded her new teammate. _His outfit is the same, except the coloring is different. Instead of a purple suit, it's white. The wing-lapels on the front are a lighter purple, and the cane and mask are the same color. Overall, it's a good look!_ "So… Haw-"

"No, Ladybug. I'm not that person anymore. Please… call me _Le Papillon_. It's… it's what Emilie wanted me to be known as before… before all of this happened. If I'm going to be doing this, then I'm going to honor her memory in every way that I can."

"Very well, _Papillon. _Let's get to work! Serket and Le Faisan are on their way here. We need to find someone willing to let you akumati-"

"Enzeruize, actually."

"Energize?" Ladybug attempted.

"Close enough," Le Papillon conceded. "The opposite of _akuma_ is _enzeru. _No longer will Paris be terrified of akuma and their effects."

* * *

Le Papillon and Ladybug watched as Serket and Le Faisan landed in the courtyard outside the Agreste mansion. Kagami was struggling ineffectively between the two of them. Her wrists were bound behind her back, and Serket and Le Faisan each had one of her arms.

Le Papillon motioned to the Agreste family bodyguard. "Get Nathalie, Adrien, and the other employees down to the bunker and wait for the all-clear." The bodyguard nodded and ran off. He exited the atelier just as a black-and-teal blur burst in.

"Behold… _Snake Noir!_" Ladybug and Le Papillon turned to eye the newcomer. "Nice outfit, Bug." His expression changed as he saw the other person in the room. "What's _he_ doing here?" Snake Noir shot a disdainful glance at Le Papillon.

"I told you, um, Kitty… we needed an experienced Miraculous wielder to help us out. Le Papillon is our only hope. And… I see you were able to solve that one problem we had."

"I don't like this, my La-"

"We don't have time right now, Chat! We have to trust him!" She walked over and took him by the hands. Whispering, she said, "Remember what you told me about second chances earlier? I know this is probably the millionth chance you're giving him, but we need to give him one more. _Please,_" she pleaded. Her blue eyes searched Snake Noir's yellow ones. _He's harder to read when he's transformed like this._

Snake Noir walked over to Le Papillon and looked him up and down, his upper lip curling slightly. "I don't trust you. But I trust Ladybug, and she says to trust you. This is your one chance. Don't blow it." He held out his hand, and Le Papillon shook it.

"I won't let you down, Chat… er, _Snake_ Noir."

"Are you two ready? Let's get to work," Ladybug said.


	37. Showdown

Le Faisan reached out to the iron gate surrounding the Agreste mansion and snapped off a four-foot length of metal. "This will do nicely," he said smugly. "Let's go take what is rightfully ours." Le Faisan and Serket kicked in the front door of the mansion, sending the doors flying into the foyer. Le Faisan demanded, "Gabriel Agreste! Show yourself!"

Snake Noir, Ladybug, and Le Papillon emerged from the office and stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the foyer. Ladybug spoke. "Glad you could make it. Give us the girl and your Miraculous!"

"We don't want trouble, Ladybug… _yet,_" hissed Serket. "We just want Gabriel Agreste. Now." She brandished her _was_-sceptre.

Le Papillon spoke up. "What do you want with Gabriel Agreste?"

"He's the Guardian of the Miraculous," Le Faisan snorted. "We have come to usurp him and take back what is rightfully ours."

"Rightfully yours? Explain yourself," Ladybug demanded.

"I should have been Guardian!" The venom in his voice was palpable. "Your precious Fu Wang destroyed the Order of the Guardians! I would have kept the traditions alive and kept the Miraculous safe! You… you don't even know what he did!"

Ladybug stepped slightly forward and raised her voice. "I know he was bullied by the Warriors of the Order! I know he made a terrible decision that cost the lives of every member of the Order! I know he's regretted it all of his life and searched to right his wrongs!"

"Not every member of the Order… I survived. I made it through… and for the past one hundred fifty years, I have searched for him in order to right his wrongs. He never should have lost the Miraculous. He never should have given them to children! Everything that you have gone through for the past two years has been his fault… and he knew it! He was ashamed of what he had done, and was ashamed of his choices! He was ashamed of _you_!"

Ladybug stood as tall as she could. "No… he was proud of me. He trained me well. He trusted me to protect Paris. And now, I'm going to stop you, too!" She launched her yo-yo at Le Faisan, who casually knocked it aside with the rod he had taken from the gate.

"Do your best, Ladybug…" Le Faisan sneered. "It won't be enough,"

* * *

"We meet again, Chat Noir," Serket hissed, twirling her _was_-sceptre. "Was feeling my Sting once not good enough for you? I've got plenty more where that came from!"

"It's _Snake Noir_, actually, Serket… and if you think I'm going to give you the advantage of knowing where I am by running my mouth… you're in for a big surprise!"

"I don't need to hear your voice to know where you are! I've studied fighting for long enough that I could fight you in a dark room. You may have super powers, but I have super powers _and_ more experience! You don't stand a chance!"

Snake Noir extended his baton to about three feet, hooked his lyre where his baton was, and took the fencing stance. "_En garde,"_ he snarled. "May the best fighter win."

"You're conceding defeat already, then? So much the better," Serket smiled and assumed the _en garde _position. "_Prêt… Allez!"_

The two fighters whirled around in a blindingly-fast series of feints, thrusts, and parries.

* * *

Le Faisan advanced on Ladybug, staff twirling. Suddenly, a large hole opened up in the ground, trapping Le Faisan up to his waist! A dot from a laser beam appeared on Le Faisan's forehead and slowly moved down to his chest, then back up to his forehead.

"_DO NOT MOVE," _a mechanical voice intoned. "_THE AUTHORITIES WILL BE HERE SHORTLY. ANY ATTEMPT TO BREAK FREE WILL BE DEALT WITH SEVERELY."_ A small array of rockets revealed themselves from a panel next to the stairs, targeting the trapped villain.

Ladybug looked questioningly at Le Papillon, who simply shrugged.

"I've got an idea," Ladybug said, running over to Le Papillon. "Snake Noir could use some help against Serket, and there's a prisoner that needs to be rescued. She's been under the influence of a butterfly before, so it's a natural fit. What do you think?"

"Ladybug, I hardly think this is the time to ask my opinion… but I agree." He opened the top on his cane and quickly snatched the white butterfly that attempted to fly away. He cupped his hands, and light purple bubbles enveloped the butterfly, leaving neon purple streaks down the edges of its wings. He released it in the direction of Kagami. "Fly away, little _enzeru_," he urged.

Kagami looked up from the corner where Serket and Le Faisan had left her. Her eyes widened as she saw the butterfly closing in on her, and she briefly struggled. Ladybug caught her eye, smiled, and mouthed "it's OK" while giving her a thumbs-up. Kagami relaxed slightly but still flinched when the butterfly came into contact with her ring. A purple energy signature flared up around her face.

"Riposte… You have been used to terrorize Paris on more than one occasion. Now is the chance to save Paris from Serket and Le Faisan. Will you help?"

"Yes, Le Papillon, I will." Light purple bubbles enveloped her as her bonds burst and the silver-and-red form of Riposte appeared.

"Go help Snake Noir, Riposte!" Ladybug yelled. She turned her attention to Le Papillon. "Thank you for being willing to do that. How does it feel?"

"Ask me again after we defeat these two," he responded. "Look out!" he shoved Ladybug out of the way as a rocket launched toward where Le Faisan had been seconds before! Papillon ran over to the wall and pressed a hidden button, causing the rocket arsenal to deactivate. He turned around to join the battle, only to be met in the chest with a crushing blow from a metal rod!

Le Papillon staggered. _Even with the protection that the Miraculous gives me, I can feel that he packs a heck of a punch._ Le Faisan began twirling his staff. Le Papillon attempted to feint in with his cane to block the staff and gain an advantage on the villain, but the staff was spinning too fast. His cane was caught in the spin and was pulled out of his hand! Serket reached up and grabbed it with her left hand, and immediately went on the offensive against both Snake Noir and Riposte!

"Naturally, you must expect me to attack with Capo Ferro," Snake Noir said, advancing on Serket's left. "I know that you're not left-handed, though!"

"What are you _doing?_ Can you not be serious for more than five seconds at a time?" Riposte said, on the opposite side of Serket.

"No matter! I can beat both of you!" Serket spun in place and parried both Riposte and Snake Noir's attacks. "You should remember who you are up against! Sparring with you taught me all of your tricks!" She reached out and kicked Riposte away, who bounced off of the foyer wall and slumped to the ground, stunned. Serket blocked Snake Noir's staff and forced it above his head, exposing his face and midsection. She hit his jaw with the butt end of her _was_-sceptre, causing him to fall to one knee. In one swift motion, she brought the other end of her sceptre down across the back of his head, knocking him flat on the ground. Snake Noir lay there motionless as Serket laughed in triumph.

Ladybug screamed. _I can't let Adrien get beat up like this!_ She moved toward him, but was stopped by the memory of his voice. "_You wasted an opportunity. I know what I signed up for when I took the Miraculous. You don't need to protect me - we're a team out there."_ She glanced back at Le Papillon, who was attempting - and failing - to wrest control of the staff from Le Faisan. Riposte had regained her feet and was making her way toward Serket, who was raising her _was_-scepter above her head to strike another blow. _I should help…_ she thought as Snake Noir suddenly rolled forward and under Serket, stood up behind her, and trapped her in a full nelson! "Looks like this snake can play _possum_, Serket!"

Serket growled, lifted her leg behind her and mule-kicked Snake Noir, forcing him to release the hold. "You think you can best me? I'd like to see you try!"

Riposte and Snake Noir redoubled their efforts and attempted to press their advantage against Serket.

* * *

"One down, one to go!" Le Faisan left Le Papillon in a crumpled heap on the ground and turned his attention to Ladybug. "You're distracted, Ladybug! You should be worrying about _me_, not them over there!" He swung his staff at her stomach.

She bent backwards to bridge underneath it, then propelled herself forward and landed a kick to his face. "I know they can handle themselves, Le Faisan… but your thirst for vengeance will consume you. That is why you will lose."

"You are mistaken twice over, Ladybug," he grinned. "Vengeance is over there. I! I am the embodiment of Justice! And I will take my rightful place as…"

"The only thing you will do is give your Miraculous to the Guardian! Hand it over!" Ladybug interjected.

"Never! _Justice Fire!_" With those words, intense flames shot from his hand towards Ladybug.

She twirled her yo-yo rapidly to block the attack, but was unable to stop the magical flames. "No!" Ladybug yelled as the fire broke through her yo-yo shield and consumed her. She fell to one knee, unable to breathe. _Good thing this transformation protects me from fire, otherwise, I'd really be in bad shape!_

"Ladybug, Ladybug, fly away home! Your house is on fire and your children all gone!" Le Faisan cackled as he advanced on the fallen hero.

Suddenly, Le Papillon tackled Le Faisan, putting himself between the source of the fire and Ladybug. He rolled Le Faisan onto his stomach, smothering the flames and giving Ladybug a chance to recover. Once the flames were extinguished, Papillon climbed off of Le Faisan, clutching his chest and gasping for breath. Ladybug went to move toward him, but he shook his head and pointed to Le Faisan urgently.

* * *

"Riposte, compound attack to opposition!"

Riposte followed Snake Noir's lead to tie up Serket's sceptre and Snake Noir used his staff to knock Le Papillon's cane from her hands! While Serket struggled to get her sceptre back in position, Snake Noir was able to free his lyre, strum it, and call "_Snake charm!"_

A brilliant beam of light hit Serket and she went rigid.

"Remove your bracelet, Serket, and hand it to me," breathed Snake Noir.

"No!" Le Faisan shouted. "Justice fire!" The chirp of his Miraculous told the story: he had already used his power once. He watched helplessly in disappointment as Serket removed her bracelet and de-transformed. Tomoe Tsurugi handed the Scorpion Miraculous to Snake Noir.

A red-and-yellow kwami with a scorpion tail suddenly appeared nearby. "Master?" Namma addressed Tomoe. The kwami looked at the Scorpion Miraculous and up to Snake Noir. "What have you done?!" Namma demanded, eyes burning.

* * *

"That's one down! Great job, you two! _Lucky Charm!_" A giant red-and-black spotted magnet fell from the air, and Ladybug ran over to grab it. "What am I supposed to do with _this_?" she mumbled to herself. She turned it around, and Le Faisan's staff immediately leaped out of his hands and stuck to the prongs of the magnet! "Oh," Ladybug said. "That's _it?_"

"That's _nothing,_ fool!" Le Faisan laughed. "I didn't train for my entire life to have something as simple as losing my weapon defeat me! My greatest weapon is my _mind_… no matter what the Order of the Guardians thought so long ago!" He launched himself at Ladybug with blinding speed and tackled her, sending the magnet and attached staff flying. Ladybug's Miraculous chirped. "You see? We're in the same boat now… when these five minutes are over, one of us will be the victor… and one of us will be the victim. And I'll tell you this: I'm much more confident in my chances as a trained warrior, even without my Miraculous, than I am in yours as a teenage girl!"

_He's right… I'm no match for him in hand-to-hand combat. The costume enhances my strength, agility, and resistance to damage, but he's studied fighting for decades whereas I play Ultimate Mecha Strike III._ Ladybug groaned as Le Faisan connected with a punch, sending her staggering backwards. She looked around the foyer for inspiration. Her eyes kept coming back to the fallen doors that had been kicked in at the start of the confrontation. _Wood shouldn't bend that way… should it?_ Her eyes widened at the realization and she bolted for the giant magnet.

"You want my staff? I'll just take it from you, and destroy you with it!" Le Faisan cackled.

Ladybug picked up the magnet and handed it to Snake Noir. "Take the staff, Kitty, and be ready to throw the magnet back to me," she whispered. While Snake Noir and Riposte worked to get the staff off of the magnet, Ladybug lured Le Faisan to the center of the room, dodging and feinting so he couldn't score a direct hit on her. She stepped backward over the rubble from the villains' entrance and yelled "NOW!"

Snake Noir threw the magnet to Ladybug, who brought one of the prongs down on the chest of Le Faisan, pinning him to the door! As Le Faisan struggled to free himself, Ladybug leaned forward and ripped the Miraculous from around his neck, causing him to de-transform. There was a yellow flash of light, and a kwami flew out of the pendant. This kwami had a brown body with small wings, a white neck, and a blue head with a red circle over his face.

Ladybug took the magnet off of Mr. Chou, freeing him. "Papillon, Snake Noir: please secure these two while I go recharge. You can release the butterfly from Riposte, too." She tossed the magnet in the air and called for her Cure, which righted a small amount of damage from the battle, but none of the destruction caused by Serket or Le Faisan. Ladybug disappeared into Gabriel Agreste's office, closing and barring the door behind her. "Spots off," she said, then reached into her purse for a cookie for Tikki.

"Great work, Marinette!" Tikki said around a mouthful of macaron. "What are you going to do about all of this?"

"That's what we're going to discuss, Tikki - as soon as you're ready to go."


	38. Reconciliations and New Beginnings

With Tikki fully charged, Marinette transformed back into Ladybug, left Gabriel Agreste's office, and re-entered the foyer. Mr. Chou and Mrs. Tsurugi were each seated in a high-backed chair, secured by a length of cord. Snake Noir was holding the Miraculous of the Pheasant and Scorpion. The respective kwamis were floating over his shoulder. Kagami was standing next to Snake Noir, arms folded, glaring at the woman in the chair.

Le Papillon was bustling around the foyer, straightening up items that had been knocked over in the skirmish. "The authorities have been called, Ladybug… we'll have about five minutes before they arrive."

"Very well. Mr. Chou - Le Faisan - told us why he was after the Miraculous. What I want to know is how Mrs. Tsurugi got wrapped up in this. I think I'm not the only one, either." She glanced at Kagami.

"My father," Tomoe spat, "was a well-regarded fencing champion in Japan. On an exhibition tour to showcase our country's finest athletes, he heard the legend of magic jewelry that would enhance strength and agility. He wanted those enhancements for himself to be an even better champion for our country. He believed that bringing the Miraculous to Japan would give him and our country prestige that it deserved."

Tomoe continued, rigid with rage in her confines. "His quest for the Miraculous became an obsession. He was ridiculed - ostracized. A chance encounter with a kindred spirit -" she inclined her head toward Mr. Chou "- gave him hope, but that was all that was sustaining him. He was viewed as a dreamer, as a fool. I was forced to live at a fencing academy growing up so I could have any chance of succeeding in life. I vowed revenge on the people who hurt my father.

"I was a champion and beloved by the people - but that did nothing to restore my father's reputation. Indeed, as he got closer to the legend of the Miraculous, other people who wanted the secrets for themselves attacked and blinded me as a warning. My father died broken, humiliated, and penniless. It was my mission in life to avenge him and restore his name to its rightful place. I met with his partner in the search for the Miraculous, and we bided our time.

"When it became clear that the Miraculous were in Paris, I came here to get as much information as I could. Chou followed soon afterwards. He had been studying the ancient art of the mages and had managed to craft two new Miraculous for us to use. He wanted Justice - but _I_ wanted Vengeance."

"So you became Serket to get closer to the Miraculous," Snake Noir filled in.

The bubbling rage in Tomoe's voice subsided to a slow simmer. "Correct. Miraculous - even those outside of the Miracle Box - have a natural affinity for each other. That is why I spent so much time here at the Agreste mansion, as both myself and as Serket. I felt Miraculous energy here, and believed that Gabriel Agreste was named Guardian. I now think that I was mistaken in my conclusion, but accurate in my analysis. Clearly, Gabriel has some connection to the Miraculous, otherwise there would not have been three Miraculous holders waiting for us when we arrived. That connection may not be for me to discover, but I trust that my daughter -" Kagami flinched "- will be able to continue my quest."

"You're deranged," Kagami said quietly. "There is no way I will carry on this foolishness. Look at what you have done to yourself! Look at what your life has become! I won't be like you… mad… obsessed…"

"You must avenge me," Tomoe insisted.

"I will do no such thing! This ends now!" Kagami yelled.

"You dishonor our family!"

"No." Kagami's voice had gone ice-cold. "You did enough of that yourself."

* * *

"What do you want me to do with these?" Snake Noir asked Ladybug, indicating the two Miraculous.

"This has been my life's work! They belong to me!" Mr. Chou yelled.

"They belong to the Guardian of the Miraculous," Snake Noir pointed out. "And…" he paused and looked at Ladybug.

"And the Guardian will determine their fate," Ladybug concluded.

"_Gabriel Agreste_ will decide what is to become of my finest creation?" Mr. Chou exploded.

"No," Ladybug corrected him. "_I_ will. I am the Guardian of the Miraculous, as designated by Fu Wang last month."

"_You?! _A _child_ is the Guardian? Preposterous!"

A new, stentorian voice spoke up. "She is not lying." The Pheasant kwami floated away from Snake Noir and between Ladybug and Mr. Chou. "Greeting, Guardian. I am Giichi. I am the kwami of Justice."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Giichi," Ladybug said, offering her hand.

Giichi flew over and touched his paw to her hand. "As Guardian, it is your right and privilege to do what you want with the Miraculous."

"What are your thoughts, my Lady?" Snake Noir asked.

Ladybug hummed. "Justice is a powerful value to have. Snake Noir, can I speak to Sass, please?"

"Certainly, my Lady. _Let's Hide!_" Snake Noir de-transformed to Chat Noir in a flash of teal light, and Sass appeared over Chat's left shoulder.

"Greetings, Guardian. How may I be of service?" Sass bowed.

"I need to know if there is precedent for new kwamis to be introduced to the Miracle Box, Sass. What can you tell me?"

"I can tell you what Chat Noir is thinking about doing after all of this is over," Sass grinned wickedly. He flew over to Ladybug's ear and hisspered, "_He wants to kiss the spots off your massssssk._"

"_Sass!"_ Ladybug exclaimed, jumping away and flushing a shade of scarlet that would have been better matched with her Fire Ladybug transformation than with her current Ladybug transformation. She glanced over at Chat, who had turned a shade of pink and was intensely studying the floor for something. "I meant what can you tell me about _accepting new kwamis?"_

"Of course, Guardian. The last kwami to join our group was Xuppu, the Monkey. Being the kwami of Mischief, he took a while to acclimate, but we accepted him."

"Do you think Justice will be accepted?"

"Justice is a virtue that is fair. I would not expect any problems," Sass said earnestly.

"Very well. Thank you for your assistance, Sass." Ladybug turned to address Giichi. "You will come with me and we will introduce you to the other kwamis. Chat, may I have the Pheasant Miraculous please?"

Chat handed the pendant over, and Ladybug put it around her neck. "What should I do with the bracelet, my Lady?" He indicated the Scorpion Miraculous in his right hand.

"Vengeance is a powerful emotion, as we have seen," Ladybug mused. "We know the dangers of holders being consumed by the concepts of their Miraculous. Mr. Chou here has been consumed by Justice; Mrs. Tsurugi, by Vengeance. Hawk Moth was consumed by Generosity to the point where it changed to selfishness. The Peacock Miraculous holder was consumed by Hope to the point of despair. I cannot allow the risk of someone being consumed by Vengeance again." She pointed to the Scorpion kwami. "I'm sorry - I don't think we've met."

"My name is Namma, Guardian."

"Namma. I'm sorry for what you have been through," Ladybug began.

"I'm not!" the kwami spat. "If I regret anything, it's that I wasn't able to assist my master in getting the vengeance she craved. But now - now I will get vengeance on her!" The tip of Namma's tail started glowing, and she floated menacingly over toward Mrs. Tsurugi. "You will feel the Sting of the Scorpion!"

"_Chat!_" Ladybug yelled.

"On it, my Lady! _Cataclysm!"_ Black energy bubbled in Chat Noir's hand, and the Scorpion Miraculous that he was holding blackened and turned to dust in an instant. There was a yellow flash of light, and Namma disappeared.

"I think that settles that," Ladybug said matter-of-factly.

* * *

Roger Raincomprix stuck his head in the foyer. "Mister Agreste? We received a call?" He looked at the doors on the foyer floor and frowned.

"Hello, Lieutenant Roger!" Ladybug called out. "We've managed to apprehend Le Faisan and Serket. You may take them away."

"Excellent work, Ladybug!" He walked into the mansion, looked at Le Papillon, and his jaw dropped. "Um… it looks like you've also apprehended Hawk Moth! Should we take him away too?"

Chat Noir walked over and put his hand on Roger's shoulder. "Actually, that's not Hawk Moth. This is our new superhero partner, Le Papillon." He winked at Le Papillon and smiled broadly.

"But they look almost exactly the same!" Roger protested. Le Papillon squirmed in place.

"Nope, not the same person. You've only seen Hawk Moth what, once? And wasn't he all red? Look at this guy: not red! Completely different." Chat began subtly nudging Roger toward Mr. Chou and Mrs. Tsurugi.

"But-"

"Lieutenant, please arrest these two. If Hawk Moth appears again, you'll be the first to know." Ladybug shot Roger a winning smile and started waving goodbye at him.

Roger gave Ladybug a confused look and said, "OK. You're the expert, Ladybug." He looked once more at Le Papillon, eyes narrowed. "Two to transport," he said into his walkie-talkie, and four officers entered the foyer, removed the bonds from Mr. Chou and Mrs. Tsurugi, cuffed them, and led them out the door. Roger followed behind them. As he left the mansion, he turned around and said, "If Mister Agreste wants to file a police report for this damage, he knows how to get in touch with me."

"He certainly does," agreed Ladybug. "Thanks for your help!" she added.

Roger turned and left the foyer. Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Le Papillon all let out a breath.

* * *

Chat Noir's ring chirped urgently. "Go recharge, Kitty… we can handle this for a few minutes without you."

"Aww man… are you sure?" Chat frowned, then grinned. "I'll be right back!" He ran out the front door and vaulted away.

"Kagami, thank you for your help." said Ladybug. "I know it couldn't have been easy for you to discover what your mother and her friend were up to, and you still stepped up and really helped us out today. How can we ever repay you?"

"I don't need repayment, Ladybug. I've always believed in doing the right thing, and helping you was the easiest choice I've made in a long time."

"Surely there's something we can do to help you out, though," Ladybug probed.

"Ladybug, you know what I asked you to do earlier. I trust that you'll follow through on that." She raised her eyebrows and looked toward Adrien's bedroom door.

Ladybug blushed and nodded.

"I should go and make sure there's nothing else laying around the house that can get the family in trouble," Kagami sighed.

"Oh! That reminds me. Either your mother or Mr. Chou had the Peacock Miraculous. Can you try to locate that for me, please?"

Kagami nodded. "I'll text you with what I find." She left the mansion.

* * *

"And then there were two," Le Papillon said. "Bright wings, fall!" A flash of purple engulfed Le Papillon, leaving Gabriel Agreste. He detached the Butterfly Miraculous from his lapel and handed it to Ladybug. "Thank you for the second chance."

"You earned it, Master," Nooroo said. "I'm glad we were able to fulfill your dream at least once."

"So am I, Nooroo." He smiled tenderly. Suddenly, his expression sharpened. "We should get the employees out of the bunker. He pulled a phone out of his pocket and pressed a button. After a few seconds, he spoke: "All clear. Please tell everybody they can stand down and have the rest of the day off."

A few seconds later, the family bodyboard emerged from a hidden door in the foyer, carrying Nathalie and leading a group of employees.

"Where's Adrien?" Gabriel snapped. "I thought I told you to gather him and take him to the bunker with everyone else!"

Adrien opened his bedroom door and bounded down the stairs. "Sorry, Father. He didn't have time to get me. I was hiding in my room and he couldn't find me. By the time I got out of my hiding place, Serket was here and I had to hide again." He ran to his father and hugged him. "I'm glad you're okay, Father."

Gabriel paused a second, shocked, before returning the hug. "I'm glad you're okay too, son."

"Your father was very brave this afternoon," Ladybug commented. "He sacrificed himself more than once to help Snake Noir and me defeat Le Faisan and Serket. He's a hero, Adrien."

"I know he is, Ladybug." Adrien looked at his father, tears beginning to swim in his eyes. "Thank you."

* * *

Ladybug glanced out the window and saw two very familiar shapes standing outside the gate. "Oh! Um… I've gotta return the Snake, Butterfly, and Pheasant Miraculous, then I'll be back to check on you," she told the Agrestes. "Bug out!" She ran up the stairs to Adrien's room, swung over to the guest suite from his bathroom window, and de-transformed. She stashed the bracelet, pendant, and brooch in her purse, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Marianne Lenoir was downstairs with Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng. "I'm telling you, Mr. Agreste, Marinette is _here. _Why don't you believe me? And why is the door smashed in? What is going _on_ here?" Sabine pled.

"He didn't know," Marinette said, descending the stairs into the foyer. "I've been staying here for the past couple of days; ever since we moved out. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't want to put Alix's family in danger, and Adrien offered to put me up because of how well-defended the mansion is. I took it at the last minute."

The Agreste family bodyguard, who had re-entered the foyer after putting Nathalie back in her bedroom, looked at Marinette. His eyes widened briefly before resuming his normal stoic demeanor.

Tom spoke next. "Honey, we are glad that you're safe. Miss Lenoir here was helping us track you down. It took us longer than expected to get to the city because the trains were on strike, but Miss Lenoir met us at the station and walked us to the bakery, and then over here. How do you know her, anyway?"

"She's a friend of a good friend," Marinette evaded. "I'm glad that she was able to track you down. Um… is it OK if I stay with Adrien until the battle of the bands? All of my stuff is over here and I'd hate to lose time finishing their outfits up." Marinette did her best Chat Noir impression, complete with kitten eyes and wide smile.

Tom and Sabine looked at each other. Tom turned to Gabriel and said, "I guess the real question is if it's OK with you, since you didn't know she was staying here in the first place."

Adrien ran over to his father and whispered something in his ear. Gabriel frowned, then nodded. "Adrien is apparently very fond of your daughter. Of course, I will be talking to him about inviting classmates over without permission in the future. Adrien, your 'very good friend' can stay."

"We need to find a place in town to stay while we handle the bakery's affairs, anyway," Tom said. "It will be a long time before we can get it up and running again. We will rebuild, though."

Gabriel reached into his suit jacket's inside pocket and pulled out a pencil and slip of paper. He scribbled something on it, then handed it to Tom. "This is the number of the travel coordinator for Gabriel Fashion. Gabriel Fashion maintains an apartment specifically for visiting designers and other dignitaries. Contact this person and she will get you set up in there for as long as you need."

Sabine's eyes widened. "You're not serious, Mr. Agreste?"

"I most certainly am. Your family has been devastated by the supervillains; it's the least I can do to help a local institution get back on its feet."

"I… I don't know what to say. Thank you. We'll give her a call right now." Stunned, Tom and Sabine left the Agreste mansion.

Marinette said quietly, "Thank you so much, Mister Agreste. I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner that I was staying here."

"My son speaks very highly of you. That said, please ask first next time." Gabriel smiled.

"Of course, Father." Adrien said.

"Miss Lenoir, do you need me to accompany you somewhere?" Marinette asked.

"Yes, please." Marinette took her hand and they walked out the door into the courtyard, then walked across the street to a park and sat down on the bench.


	39. Resurrections

Miss Lenoir looked at Marinette and smiled. "You did well, _Guardian._ Hawk Moth has been pacified, Serket has been defeated, and Le Faisan has been captured. You have one remaining Miraculous to collect. What are you going to do now?"

Marinette hummed. "I'm not going to restore the Scorpion Miraculous. Vengeance is a dangerous concept, and poor Mrs. Tsurugi was consumed by it. I can't risk that happening to someone else."

"That is a wise choice. And the Pheasant Miraculous?"

Marinette continued with a quiet confidence, "I'm going to introduce Giichi to the other kwami and see if they will take him in. Justice can be a powerful ally. It's not Giichi's fault that the person who brought him here used the Miraculous how he did. If the other kwamis will accept Giichi, then we will have twenty Miraculous – a nice, even number."

"And if they don't?" Miss Lenoir inquired.

"I have means of taking care of that. Which reminds me… I need to have a talk with Kitty. About a lot of things," she grinned.

"You have plenty of time. Your beloved cat will do anything for you. You do know that you are just as beloved to him as he is to you, no?" Miss Lenoir rubbed Marinette's forearm.

"I've learned that, Miss Lenoir." She smiled fondly. "And you? What are you going to do now?"

"I've lived a long and fruitful life, Marinette. I've saved Paris on more than one occasion and lived to see it saved from its biggest threat to date. With the magic of the Miracle Box no longer protecting me, I don't have much time left. Besides," she winked at Marinette, "I want to see Fu again soon. We were separated for far too long. I don't think I could stand being away from him for another moment."

Marinette's heart caught in her throat. "You've been such a help to me – without you, I don't think I could have made it through all of this. _Thank you._ From the bottom of my heart, thank you."

"Our work is not yet done, Marinette." Miss Lenoir said tenderly.

"It isn't? How so?"

"The mission that Fu gave me is not yet completed. I need to visit the Agrestes again - this time, with Ladybug. I'll explain on the way there."

* * *

Miss Lenoir and Ladybug, eyes glistening, arrived at what was the front door of the Agreste mansion a few minutes later. Gabriel and Adrien, surprised to see Ladybug return so quickly, greeted them in the atrium. Adrien rushed to Ladybug, throwing his arms around her and holding her tightly. He spoke so only she could hear. "You were so good. Thank you. Thank you for saving Paris. Thank you for saving my family, my Lady."

"Any time, Kitty," she whispered in his ear as she squeezed him back. After they disengaged, Ladybug addressed Gabriel. "My friend and I are here for some business." Her voice sounded oddly formal in her ears.

"Of course, Ladybug. Please come in."

Gabriel led the three others into his office and closed the door behind them. Addressing Ladybug, he said, "Thank you for giving me the chance to redeem myself. I know I haven't been able to make up for all of the chaos that I caused… but I feel like I am off to a good start."

"Mister Agreste… today you proved to me where your true heart is. I have a proposition for you. If you will lead us to your wife, please?"

Gabriel took a step back, stunned. "To… to Emilie? Yes, of course, whatever you ask. I don't see the reason why… but it is certainly your prerogative, Ladybug. Please, this way. Adrien… do you remember how to activate the platform?"

"Yes, Father." Adrien shot Ladybug a questioning glance, then stood in front of the portrait of Emilie and placed his fingers on the hidden buttons.

Gabriel and Miss Lenoir stood on the platform. Adrien pressed the buttons and watched as his father and the mysterious woman descended. When the platform returned, Adrien and Ladybug stood facing each other on the platform. Adrien reached around her to activate it. As they descended into darkness, Adrien said, "What's up, Bug?"

Ladybug took Adrien by the hand and toyed with his fingers. "You'll have to trust me," she said.

"Always," Adrien breathed, then stole a quick kiss in the darkness before the platform emerged in the hidden room.

When Adrien and Ladybug arrived, they saw that Gabriel had turned on the lights to reveal the garden, bridge, and sarcophagus. The group crossed the bridge and stood in front of where Emilie Agreste lay. Ladybug took a deep breath, looked at each of the others, and smiled. "Gabriel Agreste. Adrien Agreste." She held out her hand, and Adrien gasped. "This is the Miraculous of the Black Cat. Combined with the Miraculous of the Ladybug, a wish can be made to alter reality. I will use it for the greater good."

Adrien slapped his left hand over his right, shocked. _That sneaky little… she pickpocketed me!_

Ladybug placed the ring on her right hand and Plagg flew out from behind Adrien.

"Ladybug… what are you doing?" Gabriel asked.

"Throughout the past few weeks, Chat Noir and I have battled Serket and Le Faisan. We have fought many battles and finally came out victorious. But the one thing we haven't been able to accomplish is to set things right after them. People have suffered. _Paris_ has suffered. We're going to change that, starting now. Plagg, _transformez-moi!"_

A flash of green light enveloped Ladybug. When the light faded, her costume had been divided into the right side red, the left side black separated by a swirling line of glistening gold that curved from the right side of her neck to her left thigh. Large spots appeared, one red on her chest and one black on her stomach, mimicking the balanced depiction of a yin-yang. "I can think of no better place to start than by reversing that which caused the curse of Hawk Moth to fall upon Paris."

Gabriel reached out to her with trembling hands and took a step forward. "Ladybug – you can't! The wish… it comes with a price! In order to raise someone from this state, a life must be given in return!"

"I know, Mister Agreste. And it was your intention to sacrifice yourself for your wife."

Adrien's mouth fell open. "Father… you… Mother…?"

"It's true, Ladybug." Gabriel's shoulders slumped and he turned to his son. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you. I hoped that your mother would be able to pick up the pieces and these past couple of years with me would fade to nothing but an unpleasant memory over time."

"Ladybug!" Adrien cried. "You can't let Father do this! Not now! There must be some other way for him to pay for his mistakes!"

"There is," a voice spoke up. Marianne Lenoir advanced from the shadows. "I will be making the exchange."

"You…?" Adrien exclaimed.

Gabriel frowned. "I don't think we've been properly introduced, Miss…"

"Lenoir. Marianne Lenoir. I was the companion of the last Guardian for over one hundred years. I have spent my life as devoted to the Miraculous as anyone else. I know the cost and I am willing to pay the price. The previous Guardian, Fu Wang, gave me one more mission to fulfill after his death: atone for the mistakes that he made that caused the loss of the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous. You used the Butterfly for good, Gabriel Agreste. By saving the last virtuous holder of the Peacock, I will be balancing the scales once again. The Agreste family has suffered enough."

Gabriel and Adrien's eyes grew wide. There was a stunned silence for the span of a few seconds. Finally, Gabriel whispered "Am I hearing you correctly? You're offering to _give your life_ in exchange for Emilie to be healed?"

"I have lived a long life, Mister Agreste. It is time for the next adventure," she smiled.

Gabriel buried his face in his hands, shoulders shaking silently. Adrien ran over to Miss Lenoir and wrapped her in a tight hug. "I'll never forget this. _We_ will never forget this. How can we ever repay you?"

Marianne smiled tenderly and cupped Adrien's face in her hands. "Be kind and enjoy each other. Do not squander the second chance that you have been given. That is all I ask."

Gabriel joined Adrien and Marianne, wrapping his long arms around the both of them. "We will do that. We will think of you every day. Thank you, thank you, thank you," he sobbed.

After a moment, Ladybug cleared her throat. "It is time. Miss Lenoir, are you ready?" Gabriel and Adrien stepped back, clutching each other. Tears glistened on their faces.

"I am ready, Ladybug."

"Very well. Miss Marianne Lenoir, the Order of the Guardians of the Miraculous commends you for your service. Thank you for being loyal and faithful. _Lucky Charm!_" A white glowing orb materialized and fell into Ladybug's hands. She handed it to Marianne and looked into her eyes. "Thank you again. For everything," Ladybug whispered, before giving Miss Lenoir a tight hug of her own. "I'll miss you."

"You are an excellent Guardian," Miss Lenoir assured her. "You and your companion will do many great things together."

Ladybug nodded, and stepped back. She took a deep breath and muttered something that sounded vaguely like Chinese under her breath. She smiled, lifted her head to the sky, and called out "_Miraculous LADYBUG!"_

* * *

Bright white light from the orb filled the room and Adrien and Gabriel closed their eyes, but not before seeing a serene smile on the face of Marianne Lenoir. When they opened their eyes again, Miss Lenoir and the orb had disappeared, leaving only the scarlet ribbon she wore in her hair behind.

In the sarcophagus in front of Ladybug, a pair of eyes opened for the first time in two years.


	40. Epilogue

_One Day After the Battle_

Marinette was helping her parents move their suitcases into the Gabriel Fashion apartment that had been provided for them when her flip phone buzzed.

**[Kagami] I have something for you. Where should we meet?**

**[Ladybug] Meet Chat Noir and I at the Louvre tomorrow at 3, will that work?**

**[Kagami] Will do. See you then.**

Marinette put her phone away and carried one of Sabine's suitcases into the bedroom, where her mother was admiring the furnishings. "I can't believe how luxurious this place is! It will be nice to settle down and not worry about where we're staying while we figure out how to get back on our feet. Oh, Marinette… just put the suitcase up on the bed here. Let me get this envelope out of the way. _Tom!_ You left an envelope on the bed!" She picked up a white envelope that had the T&S Boulangerie logo on the front of it.

Tom entered from the adjoining bathroom. "That's not mine! I didn't have an envelope. Besides… we don't have monogrammed stationery like that. I wonder where it's from?"

Sabine opened it, extracted the piece of paper, and read it. Halfway through, her hand clapped over her mouth. She read the letter twice, then handed it to Tom, who read aloud:

_Dear Tom and Sabine,_

_Please accept this gift on behalf of the Agreste Foundation as we work to restore the recent damage to our community. While the Agreste Foundation has a worldwide reach, Paris, and the 21st arrondissement, will always be our home. Your bakery is a cornerstone of this neighborhood, and we would all be the worse for wear without it._

_Best wishes,_

_Gabriel Agreste_

_P.S. Please contact me if you need a list of contractors. I know people who do excellent work._

A check for a sizeable amount was taped to the letter.

"Honey… we'll not only be able to rebuild with this… we'll be able to get better equipment, and possibly even expand to a second location! I can't believe it!" Tom wiped his eyes and blinked at the letter.

"Who would have thought that Gabriel Agreste was so generous? I didn't even know he was _aware_ of our bakery… now he puts our family up and offers to help us rebuild? Something must have happened."

Marinette ran over and hugged her parents. "People can change," she smiled.

* * *

Emilie and Adrien stood in front of the gallery of portraits in Gabriel's atelier. "I can't believe how much you've grown in the past two years," Emilie said, resting her hands on Adrien's shoulders. "Look at you! My little boy… growing up!"

"You're still as beautiful as ever, Mother," Adrien replied shyly.

"Adrien…" Emilie took a deep breath. "It's been a long time for you, but for me it only feels like a couple of days. I might look like the same person I was, but… we should probably get to know each other again."

Adrien shrugged, unconvinced.

Emilie started to speak, then stopped. She took a breath. "Why don't we do something together? What do you like to do? What have you been doing?"

"Well… I've competed on the school video game team! I'm playing with a friend's band at a concert next weekend!" He fidgeted with his ring. "I've…won some fencing competitions," he trailed off lamely. "Father's been keeping me busy with fencing, piano, and Chinese lessons. Between all that and school… I really haven't had time for much."

Emilie leaned down and looked in Adrien's eyes. "Well, we're going to have to change that. Why don't you show me that video game for starters?"

"Really? You mean it?" Adrien blinked.

"Absolutely. Come on and show me what you've got!" She grabbed Adrien's hand and led him to his bedroom.

* * *

_Two Days After the Battle_

Marinette and Adrien were finishing up lunch at the Agreste house. "Ready for another round of Ultimate Mecha Strike III, Bug? Or would you rather try your hand at Halo?"

Marinette laughed and shook her head. "We're meeting Kagami in a bit, remember. Let's get there a little bit early and take in the sights. Shall we?" She offered her hand and they went to his bedroom, where they transformed and leaped out the window toward the Louvre.

They perched themselves on top of the pyramid, waved at admirers, and posed for photos together until Kagami arrived. They leaped down and met her. "How have you been?" Ladybug asked.

"Things have been better, but I'm picking up the pieces. Slowly. And speaking of picking up the pieces, I found something at the house that might be of interest to you." She extended her hand, revealing a dark blue brooch in the shape of a peacock.

"You found it!" Ladybug exclaimed. "Thank you!" She took the Peacock Miraculous and placed it in her yo-yo. She burst forth to give Kagami a hug, but thought better of it and let her hands fall to her side.

Kagami smiled. "It's OK, I don't bite." She reached out and gave Ladybug a hug. Before letting it go, she murmured in Ladybug's ear "Are you taking my advice?"

"Yes, very much. I'm treating him well, don't worry." Ladybug responded with a shy whisper.

"Good. Because if I hear anything different…" she broke the hug, leaned back, and cracked her knuckles. Ladybug's eyes widened.

"What are your plans now, Kagami?" Chat Noir asked.

"I'm going to stay in Paris. Master Dargencourt has an opening on the faculty of his fencing school and I've applied. If he doesn't accept me, then he'll have to accept a little competition. How does the 'Mori Fencing Academy' sound?"

"Not the Tsurugi Academy?" Chat wondered.

"No… my grandfather's name was Mori. The more I distance myself from my mother's name, the more I distance myself from her actions. By using my grandfather's name, I hope to restore honor to it."

"Well… good luck with it, then. Who knows, maybe you'll get a certain black cat as one of your star students." Chat struck a fencing pose and mimed some basic moves.

"Perhaps…" Kagami grinned. "You two are welcome anytime. Stay in touch." She looked at Ladybug, who gulped. "I mean it." Kagami waved goodbye and disappeared into the crowd.

"Want to race to the top of the Tower, for old time's sake, Bug?"

"Actually… how about to the Pont des Arts?" Ladybug nudged Chat playfully.

Chat grabbed his heart and swooned theatrically. "My Lady, I thought you'd never ask!" Before Ladybug could respond, he was off in the direction of the Pont.

Ladybug shook her head and leisurely jogged after him. _I'll let him win… this time._ When she arrived at the bridge, Chat leaned in with a very Chat Noir smile on his face. Ladybug pushed him away by his nose. "Not yet, Kitty. And not in public, at any rate. If Kagami finds out I'm smooching _you_, she'll have my hide!" She giggled at Chat's confused expression and looked out over the Seine. Her voice turned serious. "I've been thinking… your father's assistant hasn't been doing well, has she?"

Chat frowned. "No, she hasn't. She's been sick and getting progressively worse ever since she used the Peacock Miraculous on Heroes Day. According to Father, it's the same thing that happened to Mother. I hope Nathalie doesn't wind up like that. She was stern, but she had her moments. I think deep down, she really cared for Father and me."

Ladybug replied optimistically, "Let's see what we can do about that, Kitty. We've not even read half of the grimoire… I wonder if there's something that we haven't seen yet. I'll teach you the code."

"You can _do_ that? I mean, that's some serious Guardian stuff; I'd hate to intrude upon that."

"It's the Guardian's prerogative who she wants to teach. And, besides… it's kind of your right to know, anyway," she mumbled, pinking.

"My _right_ to know? What do you mean?" Chat looked at Ladybug curiously.

Ladybug took a deep breath. _I can do this._ "Each Guardian has a companion to help guide and advise them. Miss Lenoir was that companion for Master Fu. The companion should be kept in the loop on all things so they can best assist the Guardian, even though the final responsibility rests on the Guardian's shoulders."

"Bug…" Chat leaned forward and smiled in a way that reminded Ladybug of her first day back at school after Troublemaker attacked. "Are you asking me to be your _companion_?"

She blushed deeper. "It's more than that, Kitty… the Miracle Box protects the life of the Guardian and prolongs it. It's how Master Fu was so old. It's… also how Marianne Lenoir was so old. The Miracle Box protects the Guardian and their companion until a new Guardian is chosen."

"So… in theory... I could be your companion _forever_?" Chat rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Ladybug with hope in his eyes.

Ladybug lowered her head. "You don't have to. This is a big decision, Kitty, and we're only like fifteen… I don't want you to have to plan out the rest of your life just yet."

"Are you kidding me?" Chat bounced giddily on his feet, then grabbed Ladybug by the waist and swung her in a jubilant circle. "I've been chasing Ladybug for _how long_ now, and I get to be with her _forever?_ Where do I sign up?!"

Ladybug shook her head. "I'll try to make you not regret that statement." She kissed her finger and booped him on the nose. "Now, about that code…"

* * *

_Three Days After the Battle_

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. Nadja Chamack here from the Agreste mansion, where we understand that a press conference is about to be held. Here is Mayor André Bourgeois at the lectern."

The camera shifted to the podium, where Mayor Bourgeois was already speaking. "...investigation has been carrying on for two years into the whereabouts of Emilie Agreste. We are pleased to inform the public of a significant breakthrough in the case. As much as I love the spotlight, I feel that it would be inappropriate for anyone else to deliver this particular news." He stepped aside from the podium, and a slender blonde wearing a white pantsuit made her way to the microphone. Flashbulbs popped and an excited murmur swept through the crowd.

Emilie Agreste held up her hands to quiet the noise. "First off, my family and I want to thank everybody for their well-wishes and concern over the past twenty-four months. While we ask that you respect our family's privacy, I feel that we owe the people of Paris an explanation as to my whereabouts and my sudden reappearance. A new role I was researching took me to the Far East, where I planned on spending time getting to know some of the local people. However, I was on caravan one day and we were attacked by local militant insurgents. I spent the next few months convalescing as best as I could in a makeshift prison, while also being forced to attend to the wounded of the insurgents. It was only with the greatest of luck that I was able to recently free myself and return to Paris.

"I wish to retire from public life for the time being and focus on my family and the family business, both of which I have missed dearly. My dear husband Gabriel and sweet son Adrien have been through so much without me, and we need to spend some time getting acquainted again. If I do decide to return to the public eye, the people of my beloved city will be the first to know. Thank you. No questions, please." Emilie smiled politely and left the podium.

The camera cut back to Nadja. "That was Emilie Agreste, announcing her shocking return to Paris after a two-year absence. What will this mean for the Agreste family? What will this mean for Gabriel Fashion? We'll have all the details tonight on _Face to Face._"

* * *

_Four Days After the Battle_

Adrien was searching the grimoire while Marinette moved the old gramophone onto the table by Adrien's couch. "We need to find a better place for this until my parents finish rebuilding and I can move this back to my bedroom," she wheezed. "I had no idea how heavy this thing was; I only ever moved it as Ladybug."

She sat down on the couch and pressed the buttons on the gramophone to expose the Miracle Box. She opened it and removed the Snake and Pheasant Miraculous, summoning Sass and Giichi. "At your service, Guardian," Sass bowed.

"How are things going with Giichi and the other kwamis?" Marinette asked.

"I believe that Giichi is being very well-received. Already he has settled a dispute between some of the more restless kwamis. He has been a fine addition."

"That's good to hear, Sass." She turned to Giichi. "You are still on probation, but I have no reason to believe right now that it will not end well. Thank you for making the effort to fit in." She held out a fist, and Giichi bumped it with his hand.

"It's my pleasure, Guardian. My only experience with another kwami has been with Namma. Spending time with kwamis of more positive concepts has done me good. Although, the kwamis of Mischief and Illusion seem to want to make sure I am on my toes all the time. We'll get used to each other eventually."

"I'll have a talk with them. Thank you,Giichi. Sass, how is Duusu faring?"

"She is doing better. Her… _interactions_… with Peacock Miraculous holders while it was damaged strained her, but she is adjusting to life amongst the kwamis again. As the Miraculous was damaged, she couldn't return to the Miracle Box while the Peacock Miraculous was dormant and outside of the Box. Nevertheless, she is an old friend and we are all happy to see her again."

"That's excellent news, Sass; thanks. Oh!... please remind the other kwamis that it's movie night in one week." Marinette smiled.

"I hope it's not another superhero movie," Sass groaned. "How do people even get powers without kwamis?"

"Tikki told me that the last time you got to choose a movie, Sass, _you_ insisted on watching all the snake scenes from _Indiana Jones_ and would fast-forward everything else except the kissing parts."

"I know what I like," the kwami shrugged.

Marinette shook her head good-naturedly and returned the two Miraculous to the Miracle Box. When she shut it, Adrien called out, "You'll want to see this, Bug. I think I might be onto something." She walked over and put her hands on his shoulders, then leaning over him brought her arms across his chest. He stretched his head to kiss her on the cheek. "Let me know if I'm reading this code correctly: _Magical injuries from Miraculous, if caught early enough, can be healed through the following potion. If the injured cannot drink, then only the Wish can save them. Here is the recipe…_"

* * *

_Five Days After the Battle_

Nathalie opened her eyes slowly to find Gabriel Agreste, Ladybug, and Chat Noir standing over her bed. She gasped and made a low moaning noise.

"It's OK, Nathalie," Gabriel said. "They're here to help you. Drink this." He held out a small glass with a glowing red liquid in it.

Nathalie looked at the two superheroes suspiciously, but took the glass from her employer and slowly drank the contents. Her eyes opened wide and the color returned quickly to her once sallow face. She bolted upright, choking coughs racking her body. Chat nervously patted her on the back until the coughing subsided.

"Are you OK, Miss Sancoeur?" Ladybug asked, holding out a glass of water.

Nathalie took it gratefully and drank. "What… what happened? I've heard whispers, but I've been out of it for what feels like weeks now. Where is Serket? Why are Ladybug and Chat Noir here?"

"We have a lot to fill you in on, Nathalie," Gabriel said. The door opened behind him and Emilie entered. Nathalie raised her hand slowly, pointing at Emilie. Ladybug and Chat Noir excused themselves quietly while the three others talked.

* * *

_Six Days After the Battle_

Adrien looked at the people seated at the table where he had too often dined alone. Gabriel Agreste sat at the head of the table, with Emilie on the other end. Adrien and Marinette each sat on one side of the table.

"To our first dinner together as a family in years," Gabriel said, raising his glass.

"And to many more," Emilie responded, raising hers.

Adrien and Marinette raised their glasses and smiled. Adrien winked at Marinette, who blushed and spilled a bit of her water in response.

* * *

_Seven Days After the Battle_

Gabriel and Emilie were standing in the boardroom of Gabriel Fashion. Audrey Bourgeois, attending via teleconference, spoke from a television affixed to the wall. "Due to Tomoe Tsurugi's utterly ridiculous actions as Serket and subsequent imprisonment, she has been removed from the Board of Directors for Gabriel Fashion. As the sole remaining Board member, I have the privilege to reinstate Gabriel Agreste to the Board. And with that taken care of, I nominate Emilie Agreste to serve on the Board of Directors as well. Do I have a second?"

"Seconded," Gabriel said, grinning. He reached over and squeezed Emilie's hand.

"All in favor?"

"Aye!" Gabriel and Audrey said in unison.

"Mrs. Agreste, welcome aboard. And welcome back," Audrey smiled tenderly. "You were always such an inspiration for Gabriel in so many things; I know that you will inspire him to heights he could only dream of reaching otherwise."

Emilie blushed. "Thank you, Mrs. Bourgeois. We've always been grateful for your support."

"You have it one hundred percent. Good luck to you both," she said before the image winked out.

Gabriel turned to his right and took Emilie's other hand in his. He looked into her eyes and smiled. "I still can't believe you're back. After all this time… it's amazing."

"What's amazing is that you still look at me like it's the first time you laid eyes on me. Thank you for not giving up," Emilie said. "I know you were in a pretty bad place for a while… how are you doing?"

"You ask me that every day, and _I_ should be the one asking _you_. I don't know how I've been so lucky to get my family back. Adrien had every right to disown me for what I did to him. _You_ had every right to disown me for what I did in your name. And yet, here we are." He ran his thumbs along her cheekbones.

Emilie reached down and fingered the fragment of scarlet ribbon that Gabriel had pinned to his lapel. "I wish there were a way to thank Ladybug and Chat Noir properly for what they did for us. Do you think we'll ever see them again?"

"Time will tell, Emilie. If the need for the Miraculous arises, you can bet they'll both be there."

* * *

_Ten Days After the Battle_

Jagged Stone clutched a microphone and shouted: "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our final act of the competition, _Kitty Section!_"

The familiar chords of their song _I Love Unicorns_ played. Marinette admired her handiwork: in addition to Adrien and Luka's outfits, Juleka and Rose were wearing matching black outfits with pink detailing, and Ivan was wearing a black outfit with dark red detailing. As soon as the song ended, Rose stepped up to the microphone. "This is our newest song. Featuring on lead vocal… _Luka Couffaine!_"

Although everyone was looking at Luka, Marinette couldn't help but watch Adrien. She watched him play the keyboard in his black and green outfit and wondered how she didn't see how much he looked like Chat before. Despite her daydreaming, the lyrics Luka sang made their way to her ears:

_Falling away, crumbling apart_

_I scream to you just how I feel, but only in my heart_

_Faded pictures of yesterday flash before my eyes_

_As we bid farewell…_

A single tear of regret floated down her face. _It was for the best… Luka will always hold a special place in my heart for teaching me about love and how to be loved. Without him, I don't think I would be the person I am today. He helped me break out from my fangirl-with-a-crippling-crush phase and helped me see Adrien for who he truly was: the love of my life! I just hope Luka can forgive me someday._ She looked over at the crowd, where Chloe Bourgeois was standing there, seemingly enraptured with Luka. _Do you think…? Nah,_ she decided. Her eyes drifted over to Anarka Couffaine, who was looking at Marinette, scowling. Marinette quickly looked at the ground and shuffled her feet a bit.

The music stopped and the crowd burst into thunderous applause. Jagged Stone hopped up onto the stage. "Listen to that cheering! This is the loudest I have ever heard a crowd, aside from my own concerts, of course. Based on the applause and the opinion of Fang, I hereby declare Kitty Section to be the winner of the Battle of the Bands! You guys are totally rock-and-roll!"

* * *

Later that evening, Marinette and Adrien were back at Adrien's house. Adrien was still in his Kitty Section costume, having spent most of the afternoon posing for pictures with fans. Marinette lounged in her favorite Jagged Stone t-shirt, now autographed by Jagged himself, and a pair of jeans.

Marinette was looking at a picture of Marianne Lenoir on her phone. "You know, Kitty… we have some unfinished business."

"What's that, Bug?"

Marinette hummed. "That envelope I gave you… you never opened it, did you?"

"Nope. I still have it here in my desk."

"And I have the envelope Master Fu left for me in the Miracle Box. What do you say we celebrate the Kitty Section victory today?"

Adrien faced Marinette with concern. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Adrien, if we don't do it tonight, I'm not sure we ever will." She went to the gramophone, opened it, and retrieved the yellow envelope. "See?" she grinned, showing it to Adrien. "Still sealed."

Adrien opened his desk drawer and got the pink envelope out. Flipping it around to show Marinette, he said, "Mine too."

"On the count of three, then? One…"

"...two…"

"...THREE!" they said in unison, and tore open the envelopes.

"You first," she said to Adrien, who smiled, shrugged, and pulled out a folded piece of pink paper.

He read:

_Kitty, you're reading this because you either need to or want to know who I am. I'm trusting you with my biggest secret. You've earned it. My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and I'm a student at the Collège Françoise Dupont in the 21st arrondissement. I hope this is happy news for you. All my love. /(%)\_

He blinked back some tears. "You signed it with 'all your love'! See, my Lady _did_ love me!" He giggled, then stopped suddenly. "_Wait a second… _I _know_ that handwriting! I wasn't sure before, but this confirms it!" he rummaged in his desk and pulled out another pink sheet of paper in the shape of a heart. "_Your valentine I will be, our love will be so true, together for eternity, my heart belongs to you."_ He looked up at Marinette, who was blushing and staring at the floor. "You loved me! You've _always_ loved me. My valentine, my Lady… the love of my life… all the same person!" Adrien's voice shook with joy.

"You're right, Adrien… I've always loved you. I just never knew how to say it."

"You just did," he leaned over and kissed her. "OK, your turn. What's your envelope say?"

Marinette extracted the white piece of paper from the yellow envelope, took a deep breath, unfolded it, and read:

_Dearest Ladybug,_

_You have trained well as Guardian. You know that your responsibilities involve knowing who all of the Miraculous holders are. You know all of them except for Chat Noir, and you know that opening this envelope will tell you who your beloved cat is._

_The Ladybug and Black Cat holders over the years have been partners, friends, lovers, and sometimes even sworn enemies. But no matter what else they are, they are always two halves of a whole, fated to be together in some capacity for the rest of their lives._

_If you are looking for a name, you will not find it here. Your __heart_ _knows who your true soulmate and companion is. It is that soulmate who holds the Black Cat Miraculous. Love him. Cherish him. Depend on him. He will need you as much as you will need him._

"Soulmates, huh?" Adrien whispered, the ghost of a Chat Noir-esque grin flitting across his face.

"Two halves of a whole, fated to be together," Marinette whispered back, smiling.

Adrien reached up and moved a piece of Marinette's hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He tenderly cupped her face with his hand and their lips met in a delicate kiss. Adrien rested his forehead on Marinette's, his green eyes gazing into her misty blue eyes. He kissed her again and breathed, "Forever."


End file.
